而众星共之

而眾星共之
ér zhòng xīng gǒng zhī
quotation

Meanings

  1. 1 and all the stars revolve around it
  2. 2 while every other star orbits around it — Confucius's image of virtuous rule

Examples

Kǒngzǐ shuō wéi zhèng yǐ dé, pìrú běi chén, jū qí suǒ érzhòngxīnggǒngzhī.
Confucius said: 'govern by virtue — like the Pole Star, which stays in its place while all the stars revolve around it.'
Zhè jù érzhòngxīnggǒngzhī, cháng bèi yònglái bǐyù lǐngdǎo de dé wàng.
The phrase 'and the stars revolve around it' is often used to describe a leader's moral prestige.

Tips

history
From 《论语·》, opening passage: 譬如 — 'governing with virtue is like the Pole Star: staying in its place while all the stars revolve around it.' The model of effortless, moral leadership.
usage
here is read gǒng — a classical loan for (gǒng, to encircle / pay homage), not the common gòng 'together.' Never quoted in isolation — it's a fragment that only makes sense as the tail of the full passage.

Stroke Order

ér
zhòng
xīng
gòng
zhī