Se Li Nei Ren

The classic work The Analects of Confucius recorded one course Confucius gave to his students. In the course the educationist said： “Someone looked very rigid and full of fortitude from their appearance， but actually they are cowards. If a comparison must be used， they are just like the thieves sneaking into oth- ers houses at night and immediately fled once caught.”

He said that many of the important figures serving the lords were people of that kind. They pretended to be strict and hard on themselves to win the respect from others， but they fear that their dark secrets would be found by the others.endprint