The cup is already broken.
Politicians campaign in poetry, but govern in prose.
Don’t ask the barber whether you need a haircut.
No one throws stones at a fruitless tree.
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.
To know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Cross the river by feeling the stones.
[Original: 摸着石头过河]
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.
The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel the warmth.
If you’ve enjoyed this list, check out my list of quotes.