When the people of the world all know beauty as beauty,
There arises the recognition of ugliness.
When they all know the good as good,
There arises the recognition of evil.

天下皆知美之为美
斯恶矣
皆知善之为善
斯不善矣

Lao Tzu

Tao Te Ching

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More information about this quote

Topic

Knowledge Yin and yang

Author

Lao Tzu

Source

Tao Te Ching

Genre

Philosophical literature Religious literature

Language

Chinese

Time

400 BC 400s BC 5th century BC

Occupation

Philosopher Writer

From

China Asia

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Laozi [Lao Tzu]. 道德經 [Tao Te Ching]. c. 400 BC, ch. 2.

Current Citation

Laozi [Lao Tzu]. "The Natural Way of Lao Tzu." A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy, translated by Wing-Tsit Chan. Princeton University Press, 1969, ch. 2.

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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by Lao Tzu

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

Lao Tzu

Tao Te Ching

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Read the Tao Te Ching at MIT's classics department website
More information about this quote
Topic
Patience All in good time Nature Teleology

Author

Lao Tzu
Source
Tao Te Ching
Genre
Philosophical literature Religious literature
Language
Chinese
Time
400 BC 400s BC 5th century BC
Authentication Score 0
Original Citation

Laozi [Lao Tzu]. 道德經 [Tao Te Ching]. c. 400 BC, ch. 37.

Current Citation

Laozi [Lao Tzu]. "The Natural Way of Lao Tzu." A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy, translated by Wing-Tsit Chan. Princeton University Press, 1969, ch. 37.

Another quote about Knowledge

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

William Shakespeare

Hamlet

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More information about this quote
Topic
Limits of knowledge Knowledge
Speaker
Hamlet

Author

William Shakespeare
Source
Hamlet
Medium
Play
Genre
Tragedy (play)
Language
English
Time
1616 1610s 17th century
Era
European Renaissance
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 1, sc. 5.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 1, sc. 5.

Another quote from the 5th century BC

Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous.

Pericles

Quoted in Funeral Oration, by Thucydides

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More information about this quote
Topic
Happiness Freedom Courage
Speaker
Pericles

Author

Thucydides
Source
Funeral Oration History of the Peloponnesian War
Genre
Historical literature
Language
Greek
Time
430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Pericles. Quoted in The History of the Peloponnesian War. c. 431 BC, bk. 2.

Current Citation

Pericles. Quoted in The Peloponnesian War, translated by Martin Hammond. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 2.

Another quote originally in Chinese

Every Communist must grasp the truth: "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun."

Mao Zedong

Read this quote at marxists.org
More information about this quote
Topic
Power Political theory Politics
Speaker
Mao Zedong
Medium
Speech
Genre
Political speech
Language
Chinese
Time
1938 1930s 20th century
Authentication Score 2
Citation

Zedong, Mao. "Problems of War and Strategy." Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Party. 6 Nov. 1938, Yan'an, China.