"It takes ten years to cultivate trees and a hundred years to cultivate people" is a famous saying of Guan Zhong, which comes from "Guan Zi·Quan Xiu·Third". Guan Zhong was a statesman of the Qi State during the Spring and Autumn Period and was known as the "First Prime Minister of China". "Guanzi" is a collection of opinions from various schools of thought in the pre-Qin period, including the views of Legalists, Confucians, Taoists, Yin-Yang Schools, famous scholars, military strategists, and peasants.

Original text: It takes ten years to grow trees and a hundred years to cultivate people

There is no better plan for one year than tree valley; A tree that harvests one harvest is a grain; a tree that harvests ten harvests is a tree; a tree that harvests a hundred harvests is a human being.

Translation

A one-year plan is nothing like planting crops; a ten-year plan is nothing like planting trees; (making) a lifelong plan is nothing. It is comparable to cultivating and selecting talents. What can be cultivated and harvested twice is a crop; what is cultivated and harvested ten times is a tree; what is cultivated and harvested a hundred times (green is better than blue) is talent.

Introduction to Guan Zhong

Guan Zhong was a philosopher, politician, and military strategist. He was born around 723 BC and died in 645 BC. He was honored as "Guan Zi" by later generations. ", who was a representative figure of Legalism in the Spring and Autumn Period. Guan Zhong's main political achievements are: strengthening the hegemony of Qi, assisting Duke Huan to unite the nine princes, making courtesy to the pioneer of Legalism in the world, assisting Duke Huan of Qi to become the first of the five hegemons in the Spring and Autumn Period.