1. Aim high. ——Zhuge Liang

2. If you want to think about the benefits, you must think about the harm. If you want to think about the success, you must think about the failure. ——Zhuge Liang

3. Where there is literature, there must be military preparation. ——Zhuge Liang

4. If the punishment is known to be imposed, the evil will know what it fears. ——Zhuge Liang

5. You should not be happy about things that have nothing to do, and you should not be angry about things that have nothing to do with you. ——Zhuge Liang

6. Don’t be humble because of your noble body, don’t go against others because of your unique views, don’t break your trust because of your functions. ——Zhuge Liang

7. Diagrams are easier than details. ——Zhuge Liang

8. Rulers must have the temperament of being soft on the outside and strong on the inside. ——Zhuge Liang

9. It is difficult to keep a snobbish acquaintance for a long time. ——Zhuge Liang

10. Scholars know each other. Warmth does not increase flowering, cold does not change leaves. ——Zhuge Liang

11. The governance of a saint is to make his residence peaceful and enjoy his career. ——Zhuge Liang

12. If young people don’t work hard, old people will be sad. Talent must be learned. Without learning, there is no way to expand talents. Without ambition, there is no way to achieve learning. ——Zhuge Liang

13. A good general must have knowledgeable and wise people as his heart, Shen Shen and the secret as his ears and eyes, and those who are brave and good at the enemy as his minions. ——Zhuge Liang

14. Encouraging agriculture does not take away the time. ——Zhuge Liang

15. Work hard and die. ——Zhuge Liang

16. Quietness cultivates one’s character, and frugality cultivates virtue. ——Zhuge Liang

17. Generals must not be arrogant. Being arrogant will lead to disrespect, being disrespectful will cause others to leave, and people leaving will lead to rebellion. ——Zhuge Liang

18. It is inappropriate to belittle oneself when one has great ambitions. ——Zhuge Liang

19. The most important thing for the country is to be on guard first. ——Zhuge Liang

20. Be noble but not arrogant, win without being disobedient, be virtuous but be able to subordinate, be strong but be patient. ——Zhuge Liang

21. Gou Quan lives in troubled times and does not seek to learn and reach the princes. ——Zhuge Liang

22. If you don’t love the wall but love the shade, it will be difficult and easy to lose. ——Zhuge Liang

23. Learning requires tranquility, and talent requires learning. Without learning, there is no way to expand talents, and without ambition, there is no way to achieve learning. ——Zhuge Liang

24. The journey of a husband and gentleman is to cultivate one’s character through tranquility, and to cultivate one’s virtue through frugality. If it is not indifferent, it will not clear its aspirations, and if it is not peaceful, it will not be far-reaching. ——Zhuge Liang

25. Without learning, there is no way to expand talents, and without ambition, there is no way to achieve learning. ——Zhuge Liang

26. Learning cannot be achieved without tranquility. ——Zhuge Liang

27. Indifference helps to clarify one’s ambitions, and achieve tranquility and long-term goals. ——Zhuge Liang

28. If you are lazy, you have to be alert; if you are impetuous, you cannot be rational. ——Zhuge Liang

29. Big things start from difficulty, small things start from easy. ——Zhuge Liang

30. Even if you are not a scholar, you will be called a walking corpse. ——Zhuge Liang

31. Only by not being arrogant can you be arrogant, not by favoring others.

——Zhuge Liang