Among the multitudinous words of the Holy Fathers some sayings seem not only to differ from one another but even to contradict one another. Hence it is not presumptuous to judge concerning those by whom the world itself will be judged, as it is written, "They shall judge nations" (Wisdom 3:8) and, again, "You shall sit and judge" (Luke 22:30).

Approximately 500 years B.C. the wise and revered Chinese teacher, Confucius (or K'ung Futse) uttered these simple truths about nearly every aspect of life. Taken individually, they are merely simple stories and aphorisms. Taken as a whole, they serve to impart a way of living that has influenced Chinese society for centuries, and their influence continues today in both the East and the West.