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In Yangli, in the State of Song, there lived a man named Hua Zi, who, in middle age, suffered from forgetfulness. He forgets by evening what he picked up in the morning, and by morning what he was given in the evening; while out walking, he forgets to walk, and while indoors, he forgets to…
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Duanmu Shu was a descendant of Duanmu Ci (Zi Gong), a disciple of Confucius, and lived in the State of Wei during the Warring States period. Duanmu Shu inherited the vast fortune accumulated by his ancestors. He took no interest in worldly affairs, indulged his whims and led a life of luxury; the standards of…
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Once, there was a man who claimed to possess the art of immortality, so the ruler of the State of Yan sent an envoy to learn it from him. However, before the envoy had even reached him, the man had already died. The ruler of Yan flew into a rage and was about to have…
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In the Zhou dynasty, there was a man surnamed Yin who had a large estate. The labourers in his employ toiled from dawn till dusk without rest. One elderly servant was utterly exhausted; whilst working during the day, he would groan and cry out, and at night he would fall into a deep, drowsy sleep,…
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Yang Zhu said, “Doing good deeds is not, in itself, done to gain a good reputation, yet a good reputation naturally follows; having gained a good reputation, one does not seek to gain benefits, yet benefits naturally come one’s way; having gained benefits, one does not compete with others for them, yet the calamities that…
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Zhao Xiang Zi sent his army to attack the State of Di, capturing the towns of Zuoren and Zhongren. When the messenger returned to report the victory, Zhao Xiang Zi was in the midst of his meal. Upon hearing the news, however, a look of concern crossed his face. Those around him asked, ‘This is…