Skip to main content

Confused by Confucius 9 Thoughts Jiu Si

In 《论语·季氏篇》，, "君子有九思”, meaning a virtuous person must have 9 Reflections:

1. 视思明 (When seeing, think clearly)
See things objectively and accurately.
Do not jump to conclusions based on assumptions.

LQ Connection: Care
Love Intelligence begins with truly seeing people rather than judging them.

2. 听思聪 (When listening, listen wisely)
Listen deeply and understand what is being said — and what is not being said.

LQ Connection: Connection
Many people hear words. Few people hear emotions.
LQ teaches us to listen with both ears and heart.

3. 色思温 (Keep your expression warm)
Your facial expression should bring comfort rather than fear.

LQ Connection: Care
A smile, gentle eye contact, and warmth create emotional safety.
Trust starts here.

4. 貌思恭 (Maintain respectful conduct)
Treat others with dignity and respect.
Respect is not weakness.
It is strength under control.

LQ Connection: Courage + Connection

5. 言思忠 (Speak truthfully and sincerely)
Before speaking, ask:
"Is this true?"
"Is this sincere?"
"Is this helpful?"

LQ Connection: Courage
LQ is not about pleasing people.
It is about caring enough to tell the truth respectfully.

6. 事思敬 (Work with dedication and responsibility)
Do every task seriously and conscientiously.
Not because someone is watching.
But because it reflects your character.

LQ Connection: Care
Care is love in action.

7. 疑思问 (When in doubt, ask)
Do not pretend to know.
Stay curious.
Seek understanding.

LQ Connection: Courage
Many people fear asking questions because they fear appearing weak.
LQ gives us the courage to learn.

8. 忿思难 (When angry, think of the consequences)
Before reacting in anger, pause and consider:
"What damage might this create?"

LQ Connection: Care + Courage
LQ helps us respond rather than react.
This is emotional mastery.

9. 见得思义 (When you see profit, think of righteousness)
Before pursuing gain, ask:
"Is this the right thing to do?"
"What is the ethical choice?"

LQ Connection: The highest level of Love Intelligence
This is where character overrides greed.

The Nine Thoughts Through the Lens of LQ
Interestingly, Confucius described LQ more than 2,500 years ago without using the term.
Confucius' Nine Thoughts
LQ Dimension

视思明 is Care
听思聪 is Connection
色思温 is Care
貌思恭 is Connection
言思忠 is Courage
事思敬 is Care
疑思问 is Courage
忿思难 is Courage + Care
见得思义 us Care + Courage + Connection

The Ultimate Insight
Most people think intelligence is about IQ.
Today, many think success is about AI.

But Confucius reminds us that true wisdom is neither IQ nor AI.
It is how we:
  • See people clearly
  • Listen deeply
  • Treat others warmly
  • Speak sincerely
  • Act responsibly
  • Learn humbly
  • Control emotions
  • Choose righteousness over profit
In modern language, this is what we call Love Intelligence (LQ).

IQ helps us think.
AI helps us work faster.
LQ helps us become fully human.

And in an AI era where machines can imitate knowledge, the qualities described in the Nine Thoughts of Confucius may become even more valuable than ever before.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What an Executive Coach and Business Coach Does

Post a Comment
Read more

The Secret Under the Mattress: Why would a 79-year Man Bet So Big on 4D?

It was 2007 when we discovered his secret. While moving my father’s mattress, we found them: heaps and heaps of Singapore Pools 4D tickets. They were stacked in layers, a paper trail of lost hopes. What shocked us most wasn’t just the volume, but the stakes. He wasn’t betting a few dollars for fun. He was punting hundreds of dollars per draw—nearly ten times a month. At the time, my siblings and I were furious. Our father was a 79-year-old retiree. We wondered, with a mix of anger and confusion, why a man at his stage of life would need to win such "big money." What was he going to do with the money? We saw it as a reckless habit, a sign of poor judgment in his final years.  Some of us would say, "If I were to give him money to buy 4D, why don't I use the money and buy 4D myself?  At least I have better discipline".  It has taken me two decades, and the experience of raising my own three grown-up children, to finally see the truth that was hidden under that matt...
Post a Comment
Read more

Head Bleeding when the Chair Falls

The Weight of Silence: What Were We Really Arguing About? My earliest memories are punctuated by the sound of shouting. In 1970, when I was barely 6 years old, I stood as a small witness to the fierce quarrels between my father and my late eldest brother Kah Yang (he passed away in 1971 at the age of 17). As I grew up, these contradictions became the soundtrack of our lives, usually centered around our family's shoe shop and clothing stalls in Chinatown. In the court of family opinion, the verdict was almost always the same: my father was "wrong." He was judged as a man who didn't fulfill his role, who wasn't "burdening" enough for the family’s success. But as I look back from the vantage point of 2026, I have to ask: Was that actually true? Let me finally put to rest what my father did right: the truths that were buried under decades of criticism: Unseen Labor: He worked grueling, long hours. I remember him hauling boxes of goods and equipment to set u...
Post a Comment
Read more