A person can become a sage by learning from other people. That is the way to find the path that leads up to the level of a sage, according to Zhang Xuecheng (1738-1801), a historian and thinker in the Qing Dynasty. A“sage”is honored by the ancients as having a character that is virtuous to the highest degree. Due to his understanding of the natural law and human nature, a sage is able to design and regulate rules to keep people’s moral life in order. His words and deeds set an ultimate example for morality in a society. However, a sage does not exist in isolation from ordinary people. Instead, he learns from them and draws the best from them, thus enabling himself to rise above them and guide them in the end. A“sage”and“ordinary people”are fundamentally two sides that are opposite yet connected, whose interactions pave the way for pursuing the goal of becoming a sage. Therefore, even though people around him may not offer a lot for him to learn, they are nevertheless a learning resource for a sage.

By learning from a sage, one can become a virtuous person; by learning from a virtuous person, one can become a man of virtue; by learning from people, one can develop into a sage. (Zhang Xuecheng: General Principles of History)