Source-verified collection

Chinese Quotes About Courage and Principles

Courage here means more than bold action. It means keeping your center when circumstances try to buy, frighten, or flatter you away from it.

Stand by your principles Be yourself despite criticism Stay firm under pressure

Original lines

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3 curated lines

✓ Verified sourceBilingual

且举世誉之而不加劝，举世非之而不加沮。

Qiě jǔ shì yù zhī ér bù jiā quàn, jǔ shì fēi zhī ér bù jiā jǔ.

Close English reading

Praised by the whole world, he is not further encouraged; condemned by the whole world, he is not discouraged.

Plain meaningLet neither praise nor criticism control who you are.

SourceZhuangzi · Warring States period · Free and Easy Wandering
Zhuangzi

Why it fitsIt describes an inner standard strong enough to survive both approval and rejection.

Original context and translation note

且举世誉之而不加劝，举世非之而不加沮。

English wording on Gu Ren Said is an original reading aid, not a claim that there is only one valid literary translation.

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✓ Verified sourceBilingual

富贵不能淫，贫贱不能移，威武不能屈。

Fù guì bù néng yín, pín jiàn bù néng yí, wēi wǔ bù néng qū.

Close English reading

Wealth and honor cannot corrupt him, poverty and low status cannot move him, and force cannot make him bend.

Plain meaningHold your principles through temptation, hardship, and pressure.

SourceMencius · Warring States period · Mencius: Teng Wen Gong II
Mencius

Why it fitsIt defines integrity by the pressures it can withstand.

Original context and translation note

富贵不能淫，贫贱不能移，威武不能屈。

English wording on Gu Ren Said is an original reading aid, not a claim that there is only one valid literary translation.

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✓ Verified sourceBilingual

千磨万击还坚劲，任尔东西南北风。

Qiān mó wàn jī hái jiān jìng, rèn ěr dōng xī nán běi fēng.

Close English reading

Ground a thousand times and struck ten thousand, still it stands firm, whatever wind blows from any direction.

Plain meaningStay strong no matter how many setbacks come or where the pressure comes from.

SourceZheng Xie · Qing dynasty · Bamboo in the Rock
Collected Works of Zheng Xie

Why it fitsThe bamboo becomes a vivid image of resilience under repeated pressure.

Original context and translation note

咬定青山不放松，立根原在破岩中。

English wording on Gu Ren Said is an original reading aid, not a claim that there is only one valid literary translation.

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Translation note: These English readings are original explanations prepared for Gu Ren Said. The Chinese original and source are the authoritative objects being verified; literary translations can reasonably differ.

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