Confucius' Quote 'Sharpen Tools First' Reveals Ancient Blueprint Behind Toyota Production, AI Infrastructure & Neuroscience of Preparation
工欲善其事，必先利其器。——孔子(gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì — Kǒngzǐ) Translation: “The artisan perfects the craft by first sharpening tools.” Explanation: Confucius’ axiom “工欲善其事，必先利其器(gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì)” (The artisan perfects the craft by first sharpening tools) establishes humanity’s earliest process optimization philosophy. The character 工(gōng)—originally depicting a carpenter’s square—symbolizes precision preparation as the foundation of excellence. This principle shaped 《考工记》(kǎo gōng jì) (Artificers’ Records), China’s first engineering manual from the Warring States period, which mandated tool calibration rituals before constructing royal chariots. The Industrial Revolution revived this wisdom. Toyota’s 精益生产(jīng yì shēng chǎn) (Lean Production System) operationalized 利其器(lì qí qì) through “single-minute exchange of die” (SMED) protocols—reducing tool changeovers from hours to...
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