“Cultivating oneself” means taking pains to elevate one’s talent and virtue constantly to achieve perfection, thus inwardly becoming a sage. “Benefiting others” means displaying one’s own talent and virtue to make contributions to society and benefit others, thus outwardly becoming a person like a king. This was what Confucius（551-479 BC） meant by a “man of virtue” and is also a simple expression of the Confucian school’s notion of rule by virtue.

Zilu asked what a man of virtue is like. Confucius said: He cultivates himself so as to be reverent. Zilu asked: Is that all? Confucius said: He cultivates himself so as to benefit others. Zilu asked: Is that all? Confucius said: He cultivates himself so as to benefit all people. Comforting all people – even Yao and Shun would have found that difficult to do! (The Analects)