君子坦蕩蕩，小人長慼慼 — Confucius | Printable Wall Art

“君子坦蕩蕩，小人長慼慼”
“The noble-minded are calm and open; the small-minded are always anxious.”

Words by Confucius (551 BC-479 BC) — Ancient Chinese philosopher, founder of Confucianism.

About this quote

This saying contrasts the inner life of a virtuous person with that of a petty one. A noble character enjoys composure and peace of mind because their conduct aligns with integrity and self-reflection. Unburdened by guilt, fear, or selfish motives, they remain calm. Conversely, those driven by narrow self-interest or envy are perpetually restless, troubled by endless worries and anxieties.

The line is recorded in the Analects (Lunyu), a foundational collection of sayings and ideas attributed to Confucius. Compiled by his followers during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, it remains a central text of Chinese philosophy.

People often display this in a quiet study as a grounding daily reminder to cultivate composure and moral clarity.

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An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 19 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

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Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Script Whisper · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Night Script · Tracked Caps Unsigned

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