The "Tao" of Lao Zi would spread in the world. Hundreds of schools of thought bloomed. Different theories, thoughts and opinions mushroomed. This age was the Golden Age of Chinese thinking. It was comparable to the ancient Greek times. During this period, the Chinese culture, ideas and wisdom saw significant developments. It was a grand age comparable to the Renaissance.

The Classic of Rites says: "Regulated families bring about well-governed states." A father is kind and a son is filial, brothers are amicable and a wife is her husband's echo. These have been family guidelines upheld by Chinese people for thousands of years. They are principles of morality and justice which people should believe and obey.

Confucius once praised those learnt men of stature who knew shame in everything they did. A man with a sense of shame will not be overcome with the temptation of money and will not compromise his integrity in the face of a threat or danger. He is modest and good-natured. He yields to others and he takes only what he needs. Whether it is his personal ethics, pursuits or patriotism, a man's sense of shame is a prerequisite to his moral conscience.

Promoting affection within the family is, in the narrow sense, to take care of one's parents. In the broad sense, it includes affection between siblings, harmony between husband and wife, as well as harmony between other family members. Confucianism believed that "regulated families" is the prerequisite to "well-governed states." It was said in Zhouyi (The Book of Changes): "[When the] Family is rectified, the state is stable."

Upholding moral discipline is maintaining moral courage. Moral courage refers to one's ambition and moral integrity. It is a kind of noble personality quality, manifesting as perseverance and persistence in upholding justice without submitting to fear. Confucius' saying "Only when it is winter, does one realise that pine and cypress wither late" praises the pine and cypress for withstanding the cold and frost in winter while being distinctly independent and proud.

Emperor Taizong disagreed. He said, "After the Zhou dynasty replaced the Shang dynasty, Emperor Zhou Wuwang made great efforts to promote benevolence and righteousness; but when Qin Shihuang reached his goal, he used violence. They differed not only in how they obtained the throne of the country but also how they maintained the country. That's why the throne fell."

Confucius (BC 551- 479) is regarded as one of the greatest teachers and philosophers in Chinese history and has had a very significant influence on Chinese morality and arts. In his latter years, he travelled with his students to various states (ruled by warlords) to spread his teachings but was not very well received at the time.

When a wild goose or a mallard duck loses its mate, it would never seek a new mate. This is called "loyalty." When a deer comes across good grass, it will call the entire group to share, and when an ant comes across food, it will gather the whole colony. This is called "justice." Please remember these four virtues, as even a beast is capable of maintaining this virtue. If a human being has no virtue at all, he is considered as "worse than a beast."

Youzi said, "That is not what teacher said." Zenzi replied, "I indeed heard this from teacher." Youzi said again, "This is not the remark teacher made." Zenzi said, "I heard this remark together with Ziyou." Youzi then said, "Teacher possibly did say this, but teacher must have said these words aiming at a specific matter."

Upon seeing this, Zhao Cishan scolded the grandson, saying, "You are such a young scholar, so you should be diligent and persevere. How come you cannot endure a little cold? You must know that an official in the court, even on a snowy day, has to line up in a group before dawn waiting for the emperor to show up. You will unavoidably have to endure the cold weather. If a person enjoys the comfort of old age while he is young, he certainly will not live to be old."

Confucius travelled to many kingdoms to spread his views. One time he left the Kingdom of Wei for the Kingdom of Chen via Kuang City. The people in Kuang City mistook Confucius as Yang Hu from Lu. Indeed, Confucius looked like Yang Hu. Yang Hu had invaded Kuang City before, and the people in Kuang City resented Yang Hu very much, so they encircled Confucius and his followers. The situation became very tense, and his followers were afraid.

The lady said, "If I am gone, there would be no one to nurse my baby, and he will surely die." Mr. Shu said, "People who travel with me are all private school teachers from Jiangxi Province. As long as everyone donates one ounce of silver, your trouble will be solved." So Mr. Shu went back on the ship and told the others what was happening. However, nobody really cared about it. So Mr. Shu gave all his savings of the past two years to the woman.

When Shanguo went to the tribunal to sit in judgement in public affairs, his mother would sit on a stool behind a curtain at the back of the hall and listen carefully to how her son analysed each situation and rendered his decision. Whenever Shanguo failed to make a fair judgement or lost his temper during the proceedings, his mother would crawl under a quilt and cry when they returned home, eating nothing for the whole day.

The next day, a group of merchants came to his shop to buy some cloth. Mr. Tao Siwong did not dye any cloth with the fake purple grass, and burnt all of the fake grass in front of the merchants. He said, "I'd rather lose money than sacrifice others' benefit."

Whenever he chanted an incantation, there would be a realm displayed inside his jar with a sun, a moon, stars, a blue sky, earth, mountains, woods and grasslands, flowers, temples and houses, etc. Even more mysterious was that every night, Zhang Shen would put his jar on the floor, and slip into the jar to sleep after chanting incantations to enjoy his deity realm. He called his realm inside the jar the "Jar Heaven." Thus, people called him the "Jar Gentleman."

Several months later, the Jiang family planned to build a garden. The son went to the mountain with others to collect stones for the garden when suddenly a large rock fell on him, killing him instantly. Jiang Xinhui was heartbroken. Then someone told him about how his son had accepted the bribe secretly. Jiang gradually got over his grief. He decided not to hide what his son had done and instead let people talk about it openly.

Zeng immediately said, "I had originally planned to do the same thing. But I heard that a famine has just broken out in the north. If the clay-ware pieces are transported to the north, it might be difficult to sell them there. Therefore I cancelled my trip." That person immediately backed out of the deal and left with the money that he had planned to pay Zeng for the clay-ware. Because he couldn't sell the clay-ware, Zeng's entire family soon fell into a destitute situation with no food and no way to keep warm.

"Not afraid that others may know, but that I know" is the spirit of self-control. It tells people that one can control and behave oneself by following certain rules. In traditional Chinese culture people stress "not to misbehave in a dark room," meaning that even though nobody would know about it if we did a wrong deed, we should still follow our moral standards. People who believe in gods and heaven know that our every thought and every move are being watched.

Qi Jingtong scolded Qi Jiguang seriously for his extravagant and ostentatious idea. He cautioned Qi Jiguang, "If you pursue and indulge yourself in vanity, you won't be able to achieve great things when you grow up." Qi Jiguang accepted his father's criticism and told the artisan to install only four carved doors.

With this teaching, discipline from his father as well as learning from his father's exemplary conduct, Qi Jiguang sought no extravagance and felt content with moderate food. He was diligent and earnest in his studies and practice of martial arts. Later, he became a famous general as well as an outstanding strategist of the Ming Dynasty, and fought against the invading minorities. He therefore had his name imprinted in Chinese history. He had learned that flaunting, indulgence, attachment to one's own appearance, acquiring wealth, achievements and status - these attachments aim at seeking other people's flattery and praise, and are all manifestations of vanity.

When Tao Kan was young, he worked as an officer in Xunyang County (now known as Jiujiang County). He was in charge of catching fish. He once sent a jar of salted fish to his mother. She returned the fish with a letter, saying that "As an officer, you should not send me anything that belongs to the government. I don't benefit from it, and on the contrary, you have burdened me emotionally."

When Acai was very ill, he called all of his sons together and asked each one of them to give him one arrow. He then said to his younger brother, Mu Liyan, "Please take one arrow here and break it." Mu Liyan easily broke the arrow. Acai then said, "Please take nineteen arrows here and break them." Mu Liyan could no longer break the bundle of arrows. Acai said, "Now do you understand? One arrow is very easily broken, while a bundle of arrows is hard to break. As long as all of you work together with one heart, our kingdom will be stable."

Emperor Taizong, Li Shimin, in the Tang Dynasty, loved bows and arrows from the time he was young. He collected over ten high quality bows and thought that there were none better than the ones in his collection. He later took his bows to an expert. After a careful study, the bow expert said, "These bows are not made of very high quality material." Totally surprised, Emperor Taizong asked, "How can you tell?"

She had the ability to analyze the entire situation rationally and take many different things into consideration. When he encountered things that he couldn't resolve easily, he often asked Empress Ma for advice. Empress Ma was able to offer insightful analysis and give constructive solutions. The emperor took her advice seriously and accepted many of her suggestions, which closed a lot of gaps in the way that the country was being run.

Confucius always said, "Habits formed in childhood are like instincts. Habits will become a person's nature." He expresses the same truth. As the proverb says, "A child's learning should start in his early childhood." It is truly important.

Many records in ancient Chinese teachings mention sitting positions. In the Xihan Dynasty (207 B.C. to 25 A.D.), the two noblemen Song Zhong and Jia Yi were listening to a prophet explaining his prophecies. He was very knowledgeable, talked about things very rationally and convincingly, and made these two noblemen instantly feel respect. They immediately straightened their clothes and sat up straight to pay their respect to this prophet.

His benevolence and tactics come from the Han's Confucian education he received. His openness and heart of seeking endeavours were mainly influenced by Western culture. Emperor Kangxi was imparted with the deep and profound cultures of the Chinese as well as many countries of the West, molding him into one of the most cultured people at that time. These provided him with a foundation to display his royal abilities.

Traditional Chinese culture is about cultivating kindness and promoting morality. Ancient Chinese people believed that it is a treasure to be free of greed. It was an ancient Chinese motto shared among not only the elite stratum of the learned men, but also among common merchants. In fact, there is a common saying in China, "A man of virtue obtains wealth by honest and moral means."

Monk Yuanze said, "It sounds like you do not believe me. I will reach nirvana tonight. After three days, come to this lady's house, because she must give birth to a chubby boy. If that baby smiles at you, then that must be me smiling at you." Monk Yuanze also told Li Yuanshan, "You are a good friend, and I want to be friends with you in my next life. Let us have a plan that after 13 years, on the Mid-Fall Festival, I will wait for you at Tiantu Temple in Hangzhou City, where we will meet again!"

During the “International Guodianchu Scroll Academia Discussion Conference,” the experts pointed out that the scroll was the discovery of the millennium. Only the Book of Jizhongzhu, which was found 1,700 years ago, could be compared with it. Through the scroll, one can clarify the changes and modifications that Confucianism and Daoism underwent through history, and it gives traditional culture its proper identity. Some of its core thinking and values are still applicable for people today.

Confucius said: "A gentleman should be at ease being poor." This means that a gentleman should be at peace with being poor and not lose his good character. Gao Yun, from the North Wei Dynasty, was a "Zhongshuling," a title for a high officer in the Imperial Court. He was such a gentleman, one who was at peace with being poor.

Everyone complained about the hardships they went through. The guards who escorted the criminals were also utterly exhausted. Jia Wang looked at them and could not bear to see their sufferings anymore. He called them together and said," You deserved the punishment because you offended the law of the country. But these people who have escorted you are innocent. They suffer the same hardships as you. Don't you feel ashamed? "

Wang Zhaosu had a donkey, which many people came to borrow. Whenever Wang Zhaosu needed to go out, he always asked his servants if anybody wanted to borrow the donkey. Only when they told him, "Nobody asked to borrow the donkey" would Wang Zhaosu leave home. He was afraid that someone who needed the donkey would not be able to find him if he left. He was so kind and eager to help others.

Jealousy makes people feel resentful. What's worse, it makes people do bad deeds and offend the heavens. Jealousy is the manifestation of being self-centred and selfish. In the beginning, Jiang Yuan was very jealous and had no compassion at all. Because of that, he met with retribution. After he genuinely mended his errors, misfortune turned into happiness. This is exactly like the old saying: "Families that accumulate good deeds are bound to have blessings while families that accumulate bad deeds are bound to have retribution."

But one day people found that the handicapped boy was piling up stones on the riverside. They asked him and he replied that he wanted to build a stone bridge so that villagers could cross the river more easily. People didn't take him seriously. Many laughed at him, thinking him to be crazy. But months and years passed and the pile of stones had become a little hill. The villagers began to change their opinions and were moved by the child's persistence. They began to join him to collect stones.

Once, he was mad at someone and wanted to kill him. His highest official, Mr. Su Wei (Duzhishangshu) tried to persuade him not to, but he was too mad to listen, and went ahead with his plans, trying to kill that person by his own hand. Mr. Su Wei bravely blocked him several times, causing Yang Jian return to his palace in anger. After a while, when he was no longer so angry, he asked Su Wei to visit him, and expressed his apology. He said sincerely to Su Wei, "Since I have a helper like you, nothing can worry me now."

Mr. Tao Kan had very little to do in Guangzhou, but he never lowered his standards or enjoyed the pursuit of leisure. Every morning, he would carry one hundred bricks from his study to the yard, and then carry the same bricks back to his study in the evening. People were curious about his behaviour, and asked him why he did this.

The owner received a letter from his family saying that his wife was very sick and that he must return to his home immediately. Knowing Zhan Gu to be a honest man, the owner entrusted the business to Zhan Gu and went back home. Zhan Gu promised the owner that he would take care of the business in the best way possible and hoped the owner would come back as quickly as possible.

Later, Yang Zhen was in charge of Zhuo County. He was very fair and just, and his whole family lived a simple life. They always walked when going out. His friends tried to persuade him to leave some property to his offspring. He replied with a smile, "I am leaving my reputation of being an uncorrupted official as inheritance to my children, isn't that riches enough?"

Yang pointed at the flowerpot and said to him, "This is the money that your father left with me before his death. Now please take them with you." The businessman's son was very astonished. He didn't know about the money and dared not accept it. Yang Zhang said, "This is your family's money. Please do not decline it." He told the son about the background story of the gold coins. The son was deeply moved. He knelt before Yang Zhang to thank him formally and then left with the gold.

Many people fell ill during one summer. Xin Gongji set up sick beds in the main hall of his home and took in all ill people. Hundreds of people filled the main hall and the passageway. He used his own money to buy medicine and hire doctors. He helped care for the patients day and night. Soon the patients recovered one by one. He then ordered their family members to take them home. He told them, "You all can see for yourselves. How can the diseases be contagious? Am I not quite well?"

General Liu, went to the Tai Mountain to beg the divine beings for help, but received no response. He went to offer a sacrifice to the Dragon Pond, but the sun burned even more fiercely. General Liu became furious and ordered civilians to carry stones and soil to fill up the Dragon Pond. At night in his dream, there was a divine being telling him, "The extended period of drought has nothing to do with me. How dare I do things against the heaven's will and randomly start a rain? I hope you can understand this."

Not seeing him for three days, his countrymen thought Zhou Chu was dead. They started a celebration to cheer for the elimination of the three hazards. Right then Zhou Chu returned and saw the festivities. He realised just how much people hated him and felt ashamed. This incident made him even more determined to reform himself and to live a new life.

Wang Fuzhi taught his children not to be affected by vulgar influences. He said that such influences could easily change people just like drinking alcohol would make people drunk He told them, "When people are vulgar, they punch people suddenly without giving people the chance to defend themselves or stab people in the back, and they fight vigorously for minor gains in profit. A real gentleman is neither like that nor enjoys the company of such people. Endless fortune is not something we should pursue..."

豬, the Chinese character for pig, was originally written as "豕". "豚" is piglet. "豨" is also piglet. "豪" is a type of boar that always charges straight ahead. In oracle-bone scriptures, the character for "pig" shows a fat belly, and a tail that hangs straight down. One variation shows needle-like hair on its back. The character is a complete and realistic-looking portrait of a pig.

In life, one will experience loss and gain, favour and humiliation. If one can treat all these with the attitude of following the course of nature, seeking neither fame nor profit, with a heart of peace and tranquillity, like what the ancient people said, "Remain indifferent whether granted favour or subjected to humiliation, just watch the flowers open and fall in the front courtyard; Not paying attention to whether to stay or to leave, but only watch the clouds folding and unfolding in the sky," then one has reached a high realm of "going beyond the ordinary."

Not long after that, Empress Xianren lost the sight in both of her eyes, and she searched everywhere for a cure, but in vain. Later a Taoist (someone who follows the 'Way') came to the royal court and restored sight to her left eye with a golden needle, greatly pleasing Empress Xianren. She asked the Taoist to cure her other eye, but the Taoist said: "You can only use one eye to see. Let the other eye remain as evidence and a manifestation of your promise and oath!"

Life is precious, yet our ancestors said, "Upon hearing the Tao in the morning, one can pass away in the evening without regret." Why would people be so eager to obtain the Tao, steadfastly cultivate the Tao, and treasure it? What is the Tao that people have been seeking for thousands of years?

Song said, "You violate the righteous rules of the world and don't listen to any advice. This has been going on for a long time. Real disaster is going to happen to your family. If you go through a blessing ritual, you may be spared the disaster." Wang said, "If disaster can be spared through a ritual, then so can good fortune can. Don't use your unfounded words to deceive me." Song sighed and Wang yelled at Song, driving him away.

He desperately crawled into the bottom of the sculpture, waiting for death. Soon afterwards, the Jin men came in and searched for him. They carefully searched through the dried well next to the temple, woods, even the beams of the temples and any places they could find. Unbelievably, they did not search the bottom of the sculpture.