--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only by not forgetting the past can we be…" description: "\"Only by not forgetting the past can we be the master of the future.\" — Ba Jin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/ba-jin-37257_excellence_only-by-not-forgetting-the-past-can-we-b_3213082.png" --- # Only by not forgetting the past can we be the master of… ![“Only by not forgetting the past can we be the master of the future.” quote by Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/ba-jin-37257_excellence_only-by-not-forgetting-the-past-can-we-b_3213082.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/ba-jin-37257_excellence_only-by-not-forgetting-the-past-can-we-b_3213082.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/ba-jin-37257_excellence_only-by-not-forgetting-the-past-can-we-b_3213082.png) > “Only by not forgetting the past can we be the master of the future.” [Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reminds that remembering history equips us to shape future outcomes wisely **In simple terms:** Know history to control future Key Takeaway Study past lessons to guide future decisions Themes history wisdom future planning learning Mood thoughtful serious inquisitive Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - Education - policy making - personal growth Key Concepts Historical consciousness strategic foresight Practical Applications - Historical bias can distort lessons Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify historical lessons are accurate? A Different Perspective What past events most influence your current choices? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Forget the past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget-the-past/) [Forgetting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgetting/) [Forgetting the past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgetting-the-past/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Stop being a slave to your past and you become the master of your future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/stop-being-a-slave-to-your-past-and-you-become-the-master-of-your/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [Master your past in the present, or your past will master your future!...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/master-your-past-in-the-present-or-your-past-will-master-your-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Letting go and forgetting the past is easier said than done, but never use the past as an excuse to not care about your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayden-hayes/letting-go-and-forgetting-the-past-is-easier-said-than-done-but-never/) [Jayden Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayden-hayes/) > [Forgetting about the past will make things better for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgetting-about-the-past-will-make-things-better-for-the-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Unaffected by your presence, forgetting your past glory. Forgetting the memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/unaffected-by-your-presence-forgetting-your-past-glory-forgetting-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The key of my happiness, just forgetting my past..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-key-of-my-happiness-just-forgetting-my-past/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgetting-the-past-and-looking-forward-to-what-lies-ahead/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Moving on with my life forgetting the past looking forward to a brighter future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/moving-on-with-my-life-forgetting-the-past-looking-forward-to-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Workin on the future, forgetting the past. Now if I could make it all last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/workin-on-the-future-forgetting-the-past-now-if-i-could-make-it-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgetting the past & moving on, that's our only thing we can work on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgetting-the-past-moving-on-that-s-our-only-thing-we-can-work-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgetting the past is almost impossible, accepting the past takes effort but is the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-clemons/forgetting-the-past-is-almost-impossible-accepting-the-past-takes/) Suzanne Clemons > [Moving on isnt forgetting the past, its learning from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/moving-on-isnt-forgetting-the-past-its-learning-from-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-focus-on-this-one-thing-forgetting-the-past-and-looking-forward-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgiveness is a key to opening 1 door & looking forward to the future. Forgetting is another key to a lock'd door behind you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgiveness-is-a-key-to-opening-1-door-looking-forward-to-the-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Who was it said, ‘We forget because we must’? He was right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/who-was-it-said-we-forget-because-we-must-he-was-right/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) ## More by Ba Jin > [I write just because the fire of my emotion is burning. Had I not, I would not have been able to find peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/i-write-just-because-the-fire-of-my-emotion-is-burning-had-i-not-i/) [Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) > [Before my eyes are many miserable scenes, the suffering of others and myself forces my hands to move. I become a machine for writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/before-my-eyes-are-many-miserable-scenes-the-suffering-of-others-and/) [Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) > [I have spent myself on all kinds of things ... I have advanced much politically but I have written little and moreover have written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/i-have-spent-myself-on-all-kinds-of-things-i-have-advanced-much/) [Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) > [Loving truth and living honestly is my attitude to life. Be true to yourself and be true to others, thus you can be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/loving-truth-and-living-honestly-is-my-attitude-to-life-be-true-to/) [Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) > [Victory is for them, not for us. We have not made profit out of our country's misfortune. Victory does not bring us luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/victory-is-for-them-not-for-us-we-have-not-made-profit-out-of-our/) [Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) > [Nobody would say the cowshed was heaven and nobody would say the inhuman torture of so many victims be called a revolution of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/nobody-would-say-the-cowshed-was-heaven-and-nobody-would-say-the/) [Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) > [You have your thoughts and I have mine. This is the fact and you can't change it even if you kill me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/you-have-your-thoughts-and-i-have-mine-this-is-the-fact-and-you-can-t/) [Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) > [My pen is alight and my body aflame. Until both burn down to ash, my love and my hate will remain here in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/my-pen-is-alight-and-my-body-aflame-until-both-burn-down-to-ash-my/) [Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) > [I've lived on royalties all my life. It is the readers who have supported me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/i-ve-lived-on-royalties-all-my-life-it-is-the-readers-who-have/) [Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) > [I believe in the future a new Dante will write a new Divine Comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/i-believe-in-the-future-a-new-dante-will-write-a-new-divine-comedy/) [Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) > [I am a person always full of contradictions... It was hard to choose whether to devote myself to revolution as a soldier or as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/i-am-a-person-always-full-of-contradictions-it-was-hard-to-choose/) [Ba Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) [Explore all 12 Ba Jin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/) ## More Excellence quotes > [Imperfections are what make you perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-tell/imperfections-are-what-make-you-perfect/) [Nia Tellé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-tell/) > [The pursuit of perfection is frustrating and a waste of time, because nothing is ever perfect. The pursuit of excellence is commendable and worthwhile.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kulwicki/the-pursuit-of-perfection-is-frustrating-and-a-waste-of-time-because/) [Alan Kulwicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kulwicki/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [You learn a lot from quality players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marouane-fellaini/you-learn-a-lot-from-quality-players/) [Marouane Fellaini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marouane-fellaini/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. Excellence is to be exceptional, surpassing, more competent and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/in-your-goals-to-go-the-extra-mile-prepare-to-pay-an-extra-cost/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [We want to promote the great quality of athletics - and maintain it's integrity - all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-juantorena/we-want-to-promote-the-great-quality-of-athletics-and-maintain-it-s/) [Alberto Juantorena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-juantorena/) > [“Anytime I see a rainbow, what comes into my mind is how skillful and talented someone was to create an ark that didn't leak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/anytime-i-see-a-rainbow-what-comes-into-my-mind-is-how-skillful-and/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [If you are the master be sometimes blind, if you are the servant be sometimes deaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/if-you-are-the-master-be-sometimes-blind-if-you-are-the-servant-be/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [We may be masters of our every lot By bearing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil/we-may-be-masters-of-our-every-lot-by-bearing-it/) [Virgil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil/) > [Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/quality-means-doing-it-right-when-no-one-is-looking/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [We cannot all be masters, nor all masters Cannot be truly followed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/we-cannot-all-be-masters-nor-all-masters-cannot-be-truly-followed/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Leadership, pure and simple, is the assumption of responsibility for the pursuit of excellence in group life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-selznick/leadership-pure-and-simple-is-the-assumption-of-responsibility-for/) Philip Selznick > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Browse all 4,187 Excellence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Only by not forgetting the past can we be the master of the future.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ba Jin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/only-by-not-forgetting-the-past-can-we-be-the-master-of-the-future/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excellence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/only-by-not-forgetting-the-past-can-we-be-the-master-of-the-future/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/ba-jin-37257_excellence_only-by-not-forgetting-the-past-can-we-b_3213082.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/ba-jin-37257_excellence_only-by-not-forgetting-the-past-can-we-b_3213082.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/ba-jin-37257_excellence_only-by-not-forgetting-the-past-can-we-b_3213082.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Only by not forgetting the past can we be the master of the future.” — Ba Jin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ba Jin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ba-jin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Only by not forgetting the past...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/only-by-not-forgetting-the-past-can-we-be-the-master-of-the-future/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ba-jin/only-by-not-forgetting-the-past-can-we-be-the-master-of-the-future/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```