An old Chinese saying, “Only one intimate friend in one’s life is enough.”

Friend is a very great and important topic in our life, and I deem the lowest quantity request the highest quality. Here, I’d like to show some of my own opinion on friends. Firstly I feel that a real friend cannot rest with how much he or she admires you, but how deep he or she can tolerate your fallings, for only the person knowing your weakness well can become your faithful friend.

Secondly, there are two essential factors between friends. One is understanding. However, we can often see two people turn into friends before getting to know each other well. And then, the deeper this kind of friendship is, the more misunderstanding they will have, and when the mistakes amass to a certain degree, this friendship would hurt both of them who have no idea what is it that hurts them. So in a word, confused friendship is even more harmful that dear enmity. The other one is equality. No matter how great a position is between friends, they must be equal in spirits. There must be mo adoration nor scorn in the relation.

Thirdly, I believe the most difficulty in friendship is keeping a right distance. In terms of this distance, you neither turn a cold shoulder to your friends, nor lose your independence. So to me, how to get along with friends is an art of soul. A right hedge between keeps friendship green.

Fourthly, true friends needn’t get in frequent contact, much less staying together always. The deep love between them may appear thin. But once they meet without gathering for long, the two soul would fix together with no common greetings. Perhaps a deeper friendship depends on a greater distance――both in time and space. On the contrary, the relation which needs to care so much is usually very weak. These friends may leave you just for very tiny things. In my mind, the priceless friendship is often like the North Star, far but shining forever.

Fifthly, some who profess they have a huge body of friends may not at all have a real friend but acquaintances. Sometimes, the acquaintances are overstating their relations.

Lastly, I want to say,

   Tell me who your friend is and I can know what kind of person you are――it’s more believable than you tell about yourself.

   Tell me what your most believed friend’s opinion to a certain case is, it’s usually your real idea.

   Tell me what your friends’ advantage which you adore mostly is, I will understand what your disadvantage is.

   Tell me what you hate of your that friend and I can see that whether she or he is your friend in fact.