Confucius (55 BC/KLOC-0 BC/-479 BC), the founder of the Confucian school, attached great importance to people's moral cultivation, with special emphasis on "benevolence" and "righteousness". "The Analects of Confucius Yongye": "Those who know are happy with water, and those who are benevolent are happy with mountains. Those who know move, those who are good are quiet. Those who know are happy, and those who are benevolent are longevity. " Wise people like water, while benevolent people like mountains. Here, mountains and rivers are "better than morality". People should have kindness that breeds all things like mountains and selfless desires, wisdom that follows the texture of rocks like water, and guide people to love natural mountains and rivers, from which they can understand the truth of all things in the universe, so as to reach the realm of "benevolence".

Confucius compared mountains and rivers to human spirit and morality many times. "The son is on the Chuanjiang River, saying,' The deceased is like a husband! Don't give up day and night. "("The Analects of Confucius Zi Han ") Confucius compared running water to the time when life passes, and the sun and the moon never stop. "Confucius said:' If it is a mountain, it will not work, and I will stop. For example, on the flat ground, although there is coverage, I will go. "("The Analects of Confucius, Zi Han ") is a metaphor for people's success or failure and will. Confucius said,' Cold tells the decline of pines and cypresses'. "[3] Use pine and cypress to describe people's perseverance. These views on mountains, water, pine and cypress from the perspective of virtue reflect the affinity between nature and human beings, and are summarized by "those who know enjoy water and those who are benevolent enjoy mountains", clearly expressing the Confucian spirit, and understanding life and reaching "benevolence" from the principle of vitality of all things in nature. The Confucian thought of "Virtue and Goodness" in natural landscapes has been developed and inherited by later generations, which has widely influenced all aspects of the cultural field.