Han Fei Tzu Quotes

I know that you are wise. When you hear a true story, there is a part of you that responds to it regardless of art, regardless of evidence ... You believe that the story is true, because you responded to it from that sense of truth deep within you. But that sense of truth does not respond to a story's factuality ... [rather] to a story's causality - whether it faithfully shows the way the universe functions. ~ Orson Scott Card

It was not right, thought Han Fei-tzu, for his wife to die before him: her ancestor-of-the-heart had outlived her husband. Besides, wives should live longer than husbands. Women were more complete inside themselves. They were also better at living in their children. They were never as solitary as a man alone. ~ Orson Scott Card

We are contemplating the nature of desire," said Han Fei-tzu. "Whose desire?" she asked. "And for what?" My desire for your bones to heal and become strong, so that they don't snap at the slightest pressure. So that you could stand again, or even raise an arm without your own muscles tearing away chunks of bone or causing the bone to break under the tension. So that I wouldn't have to watch you wither away until now you weigh only eighteen kilograms. I never knew how perfectly happy we were until I learned that we could not stay together. "My desire," he answered. "For you. ~ Orson Scott Card

People are submissive to power, and few of them can be influenced by doctrines of righteousness. ~ Han Fei

A ruler makes use of the majority and neglects the minority, and so he does not devote himself to virtue but to law. ~ Han Fei

The intelligent ruler makes the law select men and makes no arbitrary appointment himself; he makes the law measure merits and makes no arbitrary judgment himself. ~ Han Fei

[Li Ch'uan cites the case of Fu Chien, prince of Ch'in, who in 383 A.D. marched with a vast army against the Chin Emperor. When warned not to despise an enemy who could command the services of such men as Hsieh An and Huan Ch'ung, he boastfully replied: "I have the population of eight provinces at my back, infantry and horsemen to the number of one million; why, they could dam up the Yangtsze River itself by merely throwing their whips into the stream. What danger have I to fear?" Nevertheless, his forces were soon after disastrously routed at the Fei River, and he was obliged to beat a hasty retreat.] If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. [Chang Yu said: "Knowing the enemy enables you to take the offensive, knowing yourself enables you to stand on the defensive." He adds: "Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack." It would be hard to find a better epitome of the root-principle of war.] ~ Sun Tzu

He who claims to be sure of something for which there is no evidence is a fool, and he who acts on the basis of what cannot be proved is an imposter. ~ Han Fei

By looking at a person's features, clothing, and speech, even Confucius would not be able to say what sort of a person he is. But by testing him in a position and seeing what he he does, even someone with so-so judgment would be able to know if he is wise or not. ~ Han Fei

The severe household has no fierce slaves, but it is the affectionate mother. ~ Han Fei

No country is permanently strong. Nor is any country permanently weak. (國無常强無常弱) ~ Han Fei

The way is the beginning of all beings and the measure of right and wrong. ~ Han Fei

People at present think that five sons are not too many and each son has five sons also, and before the death of the grandfather there are already 25 descendants. Therefore people are more and wealth Is less; they work hard and receive little. ~ Han Fei

It is not difficult to know a thing; what is difficult is to know how to use what you know ~ Han Fei

Superior and inferior wage one hundred battles a day. ~ Han Fei

Past and Present have different customs; new and old adopt different measures. To try to use the ways of a generous and lenient government to rule the people of a critical age is like trying to drive a runaway horse without using reins or whip. ~ Han Fei

I believe it is impossible to be sure of anything. ~ Han Fei

To begin by bluster, but afterwards to take fright at the enemy's numbers, shows a supreme lack of intelligence. ~ Sun Tzu

Simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world. ~ Lao-Tzu

I love Conrad and I probably always would. I would spend my whole life loving him one way or another. Maybe I would get married, maybe I would have a family, but it wouldn't matter, because a piece of my heart, the piece where summer lived, would always be Conrad's ~ Jenny Han

To maintain an army at a distance causes the people to be impoverished. ~ Sun Tzu

As Chuang-tzu says, "It may be attained but not seen," or, in other words, felt but not conceived, intuited but not categorized, divined but not explained. In a similar way, air and water cannot be cut or clutched, and their flow ceases when they are enclosed. There is no way of putting a stream in a bucket or the wind in a bag. Verbal ~ Alan W. Watts

15. In war, practice dissimulation, and you will succeed. ~ Sun Tzu

It's like we're in a movie and the music is swelling and waves are crashing around us. ~ Jenny Han

That night I dreamed of Conrad. I was the same age I was now, but he was younger, ten or eleven maybe. I think he might even have been wearing
overalls. We played outside my house until it got dark, just running around the yard.
I said, "Susannah will be wondering where you are. You should go home." He said, "I can't. I don't know how.
Will you help me?" And then I was sad, because I didn't know how either. We weren't at my house anymore, and it was so dark. We were in the
woods. We were lost.
When I woke up, I was crying and Jeremiah was asleep next to me. I sat up in the bed. It was dark, the only light in the room was my alarm clock. It
read 4:57. I lay back down. ~ Jenny Han

What others fear becomes our wilderness of fear. O, it is endless! ~ Lao-Tzu

Misery and fortune share a trust.
Happiness hides in misery. ~ Lao-Tzu

The Wheels of Justice turn slowly but exceedingly fine. ~ Sun Tzu

Laozi was an ancient Chinese philosopher. According to Chinese tradition, Laozi lived in the 6th century BC, however many historians contend that Laozi ~ Lao-Tzu

If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place. ~ Lao-Tzu

Moments, when lost, can't be found again. They're just gone. ~ Jenny Han

Being unconquerable lies with yourself; being conquerable lies with your enemy. ~ Sun Tzu

You can't save everyone, you know."

I can't save ~ Cinda Williams Chima

Apprentices Needed, Not Disciples
For many, the knowledge of a Jesus, a Lao-tzu, a Buddha, or a Gandhi is complete and unassailable. But we do them and their vision a disservice when we follow them rather than using what they have taught to build upon as we strive toward our goal of a better society. ~ William Coperthwaite

Sometimes I like you so much I can't stand it. It fills up inside me, all the way to the brim, and I feel like I could overflow. I like you so much I don't know what to do with it. My heart beats so fast when I know I'm going to see you again. And then, when you look at me the way you do, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. ~ Jenny Han

There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general:
(1) Recklessness, which leads to destruction;
(2) cowardice, which leads to capture;
(3) a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults;
(4) a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame;
(5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble. ~ Sun Tzu

and all of the books are behind metal grates, protected like the precious objects they are. ~ Jenny Han

Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered, those who are skilled at winning do not become afraid. Thus the wise win before they fight, while the ignorant fight to win. ~ Sun Tzu

Great talents mature slowly. ~ Lao-Tzu

I hate when people say that they have something to tell you and they don't just say it. ~ Jenny Han