Intheabovecartoons,ayoungwomanhappilyeatsbananasandcasuallydiscardsthepeelsonthestreet,unawareofthefactthatsuchactionsnotonlypollutetheenvironmentbutalsoposeadangertoothers.Inthenextillustrationadisabledmanstrugglestoproperlydisposeofthetrashshehasleftbehind.Despitethegirl'syouthandbeauty,itisthedisabledmanwhoistrulybeautiful.Truebeautycomesfromone'sactionsratherthanone'sappearance.
Whilemostofusenjoyprettyappearances,itismoreimportanttocultivateacleanandbeautifulsoul.Onlysuchsoulscancreateagenuinelybeautifulsociety.
Chinesetraditionallyupholdthevirtuesofmodesty,generosity,broadmindedness,andpoliteness.Confucianteachingssuchas:“donotdotoothersasyouwouldnotwantdonetoyou”and“oneshouldbedelightedtohearcriticism,”arewiseandworthwhile.Ifpeopleembodytheseteachingsoursocietycanonlyimproveandprogress.
ThethoughtsofgreatmindslikeConfuciusarealsoworthstudying.Hiswritingssetfineandnobleexamplesforustofollow.Anotherproverbthuscomestomind:inthecompanyofthreeonealwayscanfindateacher.Weshouldalwaysbewillingandabletolearnfromthosearoundus.