various sages

refers to the classical schools of thought, e.g. Confucianism 儒[rú] represented by Confucius 孔子[Kǒng zǐ] and Mencius 孟子[Mèng zǐ], Daoism 道[dào] by Laozi 老子[Lǎo zǐ] and Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子[Zhuāng zǐ], Mohism 墨[mò] by Mozi 墨子[Mò zǐ], Legalism 法[fǎ] by Sunzi 孫子|孙子[Sūn zǐ] and Han Feizi 韓非子|韩非子[Hán Fēi zǐ], and numerous others