1. Read ancient books to seek ways to cultivate one’s moral integrity; befriend the world’s elite and seek help in times of need. Establish a mind for heaven and earth, establish a destiny for the living and the people, carry on the unique teachings of the past saints, and create peace for all generations. --Zhang Zai

2. Being honest and understanding is a virtue and a good knowledge, not just a little knowledge based on hearing and seeing. --Zhang Zai

3. Knowledge from seeing and hearing comes from the exchange of things. -- Zhang Zai

4. If you don't respect virtue, your knowledge will be immoral; if you don't be broad, you won't be able to be subtle and sincere; if you're not extremely wise, you will choose the mean and miss the right measures. -- Zhang Zai

5. In ancient times, the emperor did not raise troops and had no use for his wealth. He must be rich in Yin. This way he knew the way to live in peace and prosperity. --Zhang Zai

6. The articles of saints have no definite style. Poems, books, Yi, Rites, Spring and Autumn Period can only be said according to the principles. --Zhang Zai

7. To study, you must first understand doubts. Only when you have doubts where you are not doubtful can you make progress. If you are suspicious, don't doubt. You have never learned. To learn, you must doubt. Learning is more important than enlightenment, being conservative is useless. --Zhang Zai

8. Those who can reach the world's aspirations can touch people's hearts. Saints are like people but have no self. Therefore, peace in the world cannot be achieved by touching people's hearts. -- Zhang Zai

9. There are teachings in words, methods in actions, actions in the day, gains in the night, nourishment in the breath, and existence in the moment. --Zhang Zai's famous sayings

10. The sage must divide the world among people, and then everything will be managed. --Zhang Zai

11. People are my compatriots; things are with me. --Zhang Zai's "Zhengmeng·Qian Sheng"

12. If you want to do something, you must have the heart to do it. If the heart is not respectful, you will be lazy and there will be no reason to do it. Besides, if the saint is sincere, all stories will be established. --Zhang Zai

13. People like strong people based on their knowledge. If you know a lot, you will not be satisfied with yourself. After learning, you don't know enough; there is something like nothing, reality seems like emptiness, this is the reason for progress. --Zhang Zai's famous sayings

14. A teacher is like a bell. A bell has no sound, but knocking makes a sound. --Zhang Zai's famous saying

15. After form, there is the nature of temperament, and if goodness is the opposite, then the nature of heaven and earth will exist. --Zhang Zai's famous sayings

16. Among the ancient people who could understand poetry, Mencius was the only one who used his will against his will. --Zhang Zai

17. Wipe away the old deeds and make your movements polite, then your temperament will be good. --Zhang Zai's famous sayings

18. Yi means thinking; must means waiting; solid means not changing; I means having a method. If there is one thing among the four, it is not similar to heaven and earth. --Zhang Zai