1. If a thought is wrong, it should be suppressed, and if a thought is wrong, it should be corrected. (Xue Xuan, Ming Dynasty)

Interpretation: Once you have a wrong thought, you should immediately curb it, and if you have a wrong move, you should immediately correct it.

2. There are three dangers in the world: having little virtue but being favored a lot is the first danger; having low talent but being in a high position is the second danger; having no great merit but being generously rewarded is the third danger. ("Huainanzi Human Lessons")

Explanation: There are three most dangerous situations in the world: first, people who lack morality are favored too much; second, people with low talents occupy high positions; third, people without great merit People enjoy generous salaries.

3. If good deeds are not accumulated, it is not enough to become famous; if evil deeds are not accumulated, it is not enough to destroy the body. (Confucius)

Interpretation: If you don’t do more good things, you won’t be famous; if you don’t do more evil things, you won’t destroy yourself.

4. People value officials more than officials value people. Virtue trumps talent rather than talent. (Li Tingji, Ming Dynasty)

Explanation: People respect officials because they respect the moral character of the official, not because of the official position. Talent should not be allowed to trump virtue.

5. When you see other people’s faults, you get your own faults; when you hear other people’s faults, you get your own faults. (Song Dynasty Yang Wanli)

Meaning: When you see other people’s mistakes, you learn from them as if you had made them yourself; when you hear about other people’s mistakes, you learn from them as if you had made your own mistakes.

6. The hole of one finger can dry up a river of thousands of miles; the taste of one finger can destroy the virtue of ten generations. (Qing·Tang Zhen)

Definition: A loophole as big as a finger can drain a river thousands of miles away; greed for the taste of a piece of fine meat can corrupt people's morals accumulated over many years.