Guan Zhong (719 BC - 645 BC), surnamed Ji, family name Guan, given name Yiwu, courtesy name Zhong, posthumous title Jing, was a pioneer and political figure of Legalism in the Spring and Autumn Period. Known as Guan Zi, Guan Yiwu, and Guan Jingzhong, they were from the Huaxia ethnic group and from Yingshang (now Yingshang County, Anhui Province), and were descendants of King Mu of Zhou Dynasty. He was a famous military strategist, reformer, and Taoist in ancient China. He was known as the "teacher of saints" and the "protector of Chinese civilization."

Guan Zhong's famous sayings:

What is ordered is done, and what is prohibited is stopped. Wherever the constitution is, it is what the customs are, just like everything follows the heart, and government is what is expected.

The law is used to achieve success and fear violence; the law is used to determine the outcome and stop disputes; the order is used to make people aware of things.

The Dharma is the ritual of the world. Therefore, it is the destiny of the people to resolve doubts and know right from wrong.

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

Those who are kind to others will also be kind to others.

The ambition must not be false and evil, and the action must be upright.

A scholar never tires of learning, so he can become a saint.

If the dress is not correct, the guests will not be respectful.

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

If a large number of people work together, the battle can be won, and the defense can be secured.

Soldiers are used to eliminate violence on the outside and restrain evil on the inside.

If you don’t do it, you can’t achieve it. If you don’t ask for it, you can’t get it.

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 land, your warehouses won’t be profitable.

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

There are no wise men who fish for fame.

The east sea is for flounder fish, and the west sea is for birds with flying wings.

It is better to talk too much than to speak too little.

If you don’t do it today, it will be useless tomorrow. The days of the past are gone and will never come back.

Rites, justice, integrity and shame are the four dimensions of a country. If the four dimensions are not maintained, the country will perish.

Sages can create laws, but cannot abolish laws and govern the country.

If a saint is natural, he will be selfless. If the earth is like this, he will be selfless.

Sages are afraid of subtlety, while fools are afraid of clarity.

Millet is the king's ability, the master's major affairs, and the way to govern the country.

There is no trouble in the world without wealth, and there is no one to take care of the trouble.

If you don’t have enough faith, you have faith.

One word can be heard and the world will obey it; one word can be affirmed and the world can listen to it. This is what is known as publicity.

If the dress is not correct, the guests will not be respectful. If there is no etiquette in advancing or retreating, then the government orders will not work.

Those who doubt the present look at the past; those who do not know what is coming look at the past. The origin of all things has different interests but the same destination, and the past and present are the same.

Melancholy leads to illness, and illness and sleepiness lead to death.

A wise king can govern and cultivate the system, and his ancestors will obey him.

Government thrives when it conforms to the people's will, and government fails when it goes against the people's will.

Words should not be exaggerated, and facts should not extend the name.

The benefits are greater than the cure. Nothing can do more harm than chaos.

A country that is governed will always be rich, but a country that is in chaos will be poor.

If there is disharmony between the top and bottom, the order will not work.

In a country with a single king, labor brings many disasters.

It is dangerous to hear a good person but not act upon him; to be dangerous to hear a good person but not seek it; to not act upon a good person when he sees it is dangerous.

Gold is used in quantity. If you understand the principles of gold, you will know how to be extravagant and frugal. If you know how to be extravagant and frugal, you will be frugal in everything.

The advantage lies in the fact that even though there is a thousand-foot mountain, there is nothing that cannot be reached; under the deep source, there is nothing that cannot be reached.

Gold and millet compete for wealth, and the township and the court compete for governance.

Distribute the power evenly so that the people know the time. The people know that the time is frail, the sun and the moon are not enough, and hunger and cold are taking their toll on the body.

Those who accumulate in the inexhaustible storehouse are responsible for grains; those who are stored in the inexhaustible house are responsible for raising mulberry and hemp and raising six livestock.

Any way to govern a country must first enrich the people.

A person who has enough food and clothing knows about honor and disgrace.

Make good use of soldiers and have no trenches and barriers but have ears and eyes.

Anyone who uses military force will be successful in attacking strong points and will be successful in taking advantage of shortcomings.

Know how to attack according to your ability.

The punishment is to avoid relatives and nobles, and not to lead soldiers.

Order is more important than treasure, and the country is more important than relatives; the law is more important than the people, and power is more important than authority.

If the legal system is not discussed, then the people will not be selfish; if punishments and killings are not pardoned, then the people will not steal from those who do good;

Whenever something is going to happen, the order must come first.

As things will be done, the amount of rewards and punishments must be known first.

If you don’t get rid of the grass and thatch, you choose to harm the grain; if you don’t punish the robbers, you will imitate the good people.

The sea does not shy away from water, so it can become as big as it does; the mountain does not shy away from earth and rocks, so it can become as high as it is; a wise master does not tire of people, so it can become a crowd; a scholar does not tire of learning, so it can become a saint.

The number of the way of heaven will be reversed when it reaches its peak, and it will decline when it is prosperous.

Reputation does not come out directly, but trouble does not arise alone.

If you forget your deeds in the morning, you will lose your achievements in the evening.

Those who are cautious will not be successful, and those who are greedy will not gain weight.

Don’t do useless things, don’t do useless things.

Blessings do not seek family, misfortunes do not seek others.

In daily life, eating moderately and keeping the cold and heat moderate will benefit the body and longevity.

When evil spirits attack the inside, the righteousness will decline.

No one knows his son better than his father.

Do not associate with arrogant and violent people.

If you observe their friendships, you can detect whether they are virtuous or unworthy.

Micro evils are the result of big evils.

Being careful and professional can bring disaster.

The task will not last long, and the cover will not last long.

A road of thousands of miles cannot be held by a rope; a capital of thousands of families cannot be leveled. When it comes to the conduct of a great person, one does not need to regard the emperor as the one who preceded him. He should be regarded as a virtuous person by virtue of his righteousness.

Words without words are heard by thunder drums.

Not being able to understand people is harmful to hegemony; knowing but not being able to trust them is harmful to hegemony; being able to trust people but not trusting them is harmful to hegemony; being able to trust people but letting the villain take part in them is harmful to hegemony.

The saint can assist the time, but cannot go against the time. A wise man is good at planning, but he is not as good as he was then.

Frugality will hurt things, and extravagance will hurt goods.

Laziness and extravagance will lead to poverty, while strength and frugality will lead to wealth.

The ambition must not be false and evil, and the action must be upright.

Good demeanor welcomes others, and they are as close as brothers; evil demeanor welcomes others, and it is harmful to the soldiers.

A one-year plan is better than growing a tree; a ten-year plan is better than growing trees; a lifelong plan is better than planting people.