compassion, duke jing, fate, lessons, punishment, qi, wisdom, yanzi

Yanzi: A Statesman Who Used Wisdom to Resolve Difficult Situations (Part 2)

As discussed in Part 1, Yanzi was a famous statesman, philosopher, and diplomat of Qi during China’s Spring and Autumn Period. He is known for his great wisdom in handling complex and seemingly impossible situations.  Providing for those who are suffering A person’s good words and deeds are worthy of praise and encourage others to ...

Tatiana Denning

Two turtles representing wisdom.

The Common Negative Effects of Rewards on Inborn Motivation

In recent years, many institutions have shifted their focus from punishment to rewards. This change is for a good reason because punishment fails to improve people’s motivation in schools or jobs. Instead, it often results in short-term compliance, while a pot of dislike, defiance, or anger boils underneath. If punishment is bad, it follows that ...

Nathan Machoka

Rewards and recognition for employees.

If You Owe It, You Must Pay It Back

There is a saying: “Your word is your bond.” If you owe something, you must pay it back. One of the first lessons we all learn is that when we make sacrifices for what we want in life, we must pay back what we owe. There were two good friends, Lan and Qiu, who lived ...

Michael Segarty

Chinese landscaped gardens.