Confucius and I are not prince and minister, but merely friends with a care for each other's moral welfare.

Excerpt

Some days afterwards Duke Ai told Min Tzŭ, saying, "When first I took the reins of government in hand, I thought that in caring for my people's lives I had done all my duty as a ruler. But now that I have heard what a perfect man is, I fear that I have not been succeeding, but foolishly using my body and working destruction to my State. Confucius and I are not prince and minister, but merely friends with a care for each other's moral welfare."

Source Chuang Tzu, chapter 5, §8 · 📖 Read the full passage

✨ To meditate on today

According to Chuang Tzu, Duke Ai of Lu makes Confucius (K'ung Ch'iu is his name) his friend rather than his subject, because Confucius opened his eyes to what a truly accomplished man is. Today, thank someone who has helped you see more clearly, with a word, a message or a gesture.

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