Confucius quotes

Donnie Yen  in  the movie  Ip Man - 2 (2010)

Wise People 

Wise people are troubled by their own lack of abilities, not by the failure of others to appreciate those abilities.

Wise people hope to be remembered for what they were ; foolish people hope to be remembered for what they did.

Wise people seek goodness within themselves ; foolish people seek goodness in others.

Wise people are aware of their own wisdom, but do not treat foolish people with contempt. They like to associate with other wise people, but do not form cliques.

Wise people do not judge the abilities of others by what they say about themselves, but by their actions.

Wise people do not try to impose on others what they do not desire for themselves.

Wise people take pleasure in praising those who deserve praise. But they do not condemn people who deserve condemnation.

Wise people know what is right. Foolish people know only what is profitable. 

People may be educated, and they may be able to write with fluency ; but it does not follow that they are wise.

Taking pleasure in your own eloquence, and in your ability to influence others will undermine your virtue. Lack of self-control will undermine all your plans.

Han Yin-chieh  - actor/ action-director  of   the movie  Big Boss (1971)

 Five Qualities

In serving your employer you should perform your duties to the best of your ability; your salary is of secondary importance.

Do not strive for eloquence, but speak plainly . Concentrate on conveying your message, not dazzling your listeners.

All human beings are similar, so they are naturally friendly towards one another. Antipathy and hostility are un-natural.

The most intelligent people are suspicious of change. The least intelligent people are bemused by change. People of ordinary intelligence welcome change.

Benevolence manifests itself in five qualities : respect for others; tolerance towards others; honesty in speech; promptness in action ; and generosity in word and action. If you are respectful, you will not be treated with insolence. If you are tolerant people will feel comfortable in your presence. If you are honest, you will win people's trust. If you are prompt, you will achieve results. If you are generous, people will love and admire you.

- from the book  366 Readings From Taoism & Confucianism 

Life of Lee

Ang Lee :  the Spielberg  of  the  East

The celebrated Taiwanese film-maker Ang Lee bagged this years Oscar for best director for his brilliant 3D-movie Life of Pie. Ang Lee can be aptly called the Steven Spielberg of the East. Like Spielberg, Ang Lee and Oscars seems to be made for each other. Like Spielberg, Ang Lee has proven that he could make movies in any subject or any genre with a fine blend of both artistic and commercial value. Like Spielberg, Ang Lee made movies on versatile topics - such as Sense and Sensibility(English drama), Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (Wuxia-epic), Brokeback Mountain (western drama), Taking Woodstock (music/drama) and ofcourse Life of Pie(3D/adventure).

When an 'unfilmable story' such as Yan Martel's Life of Pie was announced a few years ago, many critics had their misgivings (including me). Infact I was certain that Life of Pie could only be made in animation. Yet, Ang Lee proved all that wrong. Just as a good cook can make delicious dishes in any cuisine, or a good artist can paint brilliantly in any style, good film-makers such as Ang Lee or Spielberg could make fine movies in any topic or subject.

Ang Lee's success in the international arena also brings into limelight the cinema of Taiwan - a small country, yet a power-house in East Asian entertainment industry. Before Ang Lee, Taiwan was most renowned for the art-house movies of Hou Hsiao-Hsien and also the macho action-star Don Wang Tao ! (Interestingly, Wang Tao also acted in a 3-D movie in 1978 called Tiger Man!) 

Wang Tao  starred  in the 1978 3-D  movie Tiger Man

Anyway the success of Life of Pie, with its largely Indian cast and crew, came as a small consolation for Indian cinema which is celebrating its 100-year anniversary. In all these years, Bollywood - reputed as the largest film industry in the world - could not  produce a film or film-maker of true international quality. (Ofcourse, the great art-house film-makers of India mostly came from Bengal and Kerala).While the current Bollywood is mired in nepotism and plagiarism, it took an Ang Lee or Danny Boyle (in case of Slumdog Millionaire) to unearth the potential of original Indian talent. Certainly the success of Ang Lee and Life of Pie is an occasion to celebrate for Asian cinema. Congratulations again to Ang Lee !