"The empire is a sacred vessel and cannot be acted on. He who acts on it harms it; he who grasps it loses it."

"He who is content with what he has, is rich."

"Those who know when to halt are unharmed."

"The great square has no corners. The great vessel takes a long time to complete. The great sound is faint. The great image has no form."

"The more laws and ordinances are promulgated, the more thieves and bandits there will be."