Guan Zhong’s ten classic sayings are:

1. If you don’t do something, you can’t achieve it; if you don’t ask, you can’t get it; if you don’t do it, you can’t last long; if you don’t do it, you can’t recover.

2. The number of heaven is reversed when it reaches its peak, and it declines when it is prosperous.

3. If you don’t take care of the weather, you won’t be able to make money; if you don’t take care of the right place, your warehouses won’t be profitable.

4. A kind spirit welcomes others, and they are as close as brothers; a bad spirit welcomes others, and it harms the soldiers.

5. Being lazy and extravagant will lead to poverty, while being thrifty and powerful will lead to wealth.

6. Be morally responsible and don’t be confused by things.

7. Frugality will hurt things, and extravagance will hurt things.

8. Do not make friends with arrogant and violent people.

9. Irritability breeds resentment, depression breeds illness, and illness and sleepiness lead to death.

10. Those who do things are born of worry, succeed in business, and lose in pride.