Pre-Chin Confucianism II Mencius and Xunzi. Outline I. Mencius 孟子 II. Xunzi 荀子.

Pre-Chin Pre-Chin Confucianism IIConfucianism II

Mencius and XunziMencius and Xunzi

Pre-Chin Pre-Chin Confucianism IIConfucianism II

Mencius and XunziMencius and Xunzi

Outline• I. Mencius 孟子• II. Xunzi 荀子

I. Mencius (371-289? B.C.)

• Believed to be a disciple of Confucius’ grandson, Zisizi ( 子思子 ).

• Warring Period 戰國時代 , • Like Confucius, traveled around various states• for a few years, served as an official • Disappointed, be a professional teacher.• Criticizes Mozi 墨子 & Yangzhu 楊朱 • Debates with Kaozi 告子 .

I.1 A Comparison of the Teachings of Confucius

and Mencius• derived from Confucius.• of human nature: Mencius took a

big step forward.• When Confucius no more than

implied that human nature is good• Mencius declared definitely that

it is originally good.

I.2 The Teachings of Mencius

• Since man is originally good, it follows:• 1. that he possesses the innate knowledge of the

good and “innate ability” to do good.• 2. that if one “develops his mind to the utmost,” he

can “serve Tian”天 and “fulfill his destiny.”• 3. that evil is not inborn but due to man’s own

failures and his inability to avoid evil external influences.

• 4. that serious efforts must be made to recovered our original nature/ original heart-and-mind 本心 .

• 5. that xue is none other than to “seek for the lost mind.”

I.2 The Teachings of Mencius (ren 仁 , yi 義 )

• human nature= good, love/ren = an inborn moral quality.

• The practice of ren must start with the family• opposed Mohist’s universal love 兼愛 (love without

discrimination)• First to advocate ren and yi (“righteous”) together:

– ren :to bind people together – yi : to make distinctions.

• The first to raise yi to the highest level (as ren) in moral values.


• In government, Mencius believed ren and yi were the guiding principles.

• He strongly advocated “governing with ren”/ 仁政 (Mencius 1A.1, 5; 2A.5; 3A. 3-4) and he was the first one to use this term.

• He vigorously opposed yi to utility, advantages and profit ( 利 ).

• He wanted to overcome the “way of force” by the way of ren.


• *As ren and yi are inherent in every human’s nature, every individual is “complete” in himself.

• *Everyone is capable to become a sage (Confucius thinks the same) if he/she is willing to develop the “seeds”/ “germs”端 of ren and yi.


• People =the most important factor in government, They have the right to revolt.

• This idea of revolution = novel in Mencius• The greatest advocate of political “democracy”

in Chinese history.• He quoted from ancient text, The Shujing

[Book of Documents 書經 ], “Tian sees as my people see; Tian hears as my people hear”( 天視自我民視 , 天聽自我民聽 )(M 12.15).


• Mencius: not just deviate from, but elaborate Confucius’ teachings

• *Mencius = orthodox Confucianism.

I.3 The Book of Mencius• Alogical and unsystematic.• Passages are not long but much

longer than that in the Analects.• Mainly consists of dialogues

between Mencius and various people.

I.4 Mencius’s Debate with Kaozi: on Huamn nature

• Kaozi 告子 , a contemporary philosopher of Mencius, believed that human nature is neither good or evil.– It’s external (not innate) for human to be good/evil.

• (M 11.2) Kaozi said, “Human nature is like whirling water. Give it an outlet in the east and it will flow east; give it an outlet in the west and it will flow west. Human nature does not show any preference for either good or bad just as water does not show any preference for either for east or west.”…

• “告子曰 : ‘性猶湍水也 , 決諸東方則東流 , 決諸西方則西流 . 人性無分於善不善也 , 猶水之無分於東西也 .”

I.4 Mencius’s Debate with Kaozi : on Huamn nature

• (M 11.2) “It certainly is the case,” said Mencius, “that water does not show any preference for either east or west, but does it show the same indifference to high and low? Human nature is good just as water seeks low ground. There is no man who is not good; there is no water that does not flow downwards…

• “孟子曰 : ‘水信無分東西 , 無分於上下乎 ? 人性之善也 , 猶水之就下也 . 人無有不善 , 水無有不下…

I.4 Mencius’s Debate with Kaozi : on Huamn nature• … “Now in the case of water, by splashing it

one can make it shoot up higher than one’s forehead, and by forcing it one can make it stay on a hill. How can that be the nature of water? It is the circumstances being what they are. That man can be made bad shows that his nature is no different from that of water in this respect.”

• “今夫水 , 搏而躍之 , 可使過顙 ; 激而行之 , 可使在山 . 是豈水之性哉 ? 其勢則然也 . 人之可使為不善 , 其性亦猶是也 .”

I.5.1 Passages from Mencius: on Four germsFour germs

四端四端• (M 3.6) Mencius said, “No man is devoid of a

heart sensitive to the suffering of others . Such a sensitive heart was possessed by the Former Kings and this manifest itself in compassionate government. With such a sensitive heart behind compassionate government, it was as easy to rule the Empire as rolling it on your palm…

• “人皆有不忍之心 . 先王有不忍之心 , 斯有不忍人之政矣 . 以不忍人之心 , 行不忍人之政 , 治天下可運之掌上…”

I.5.1 Passages from Mencius: on Four germs

四端• (M 3.6)… “My reason for saying that no man is devoid of a

heart sensitive to the suffering of othersis this. Suppose a man were, all of a sudden, to see a young child on the verge of falling into a well. He would certainly be ,moved to compassion, not because he wanted to get in the good graces of the parents, not because he wished to win the praise of his fellow villagers or friends, nor yet because he disliked the cry of the child… …The heart of compassion is the germ of ren; the heart of shame, of yi; the heart of courtesy and modesty, of observance of li; the heart of right and wrong, of wisdom/zhi.


四端• (M3.6) “所以謂人皆有不忍之心者 , 今

人乍見孺子將入井 , 皆有怵惕惻隱之心—非所以內交於孺子之父母也 , 非所以要譽於鄉黨朋友也 , 非惡其聲而然也… 惻隱之心 , 仁之端也 ; 羞恥之心 , 義之端也 ; 辭讓之心 , 禮之端也 ; 是非之心 , 智之端也…


四端• (M 3.6) …Man has these four germs as he has

four limbs. For a man possessing these four germs to deny his potentialities is for him to cripple himself… If a man is able to develop all these four germs that he possesses, it will be like a fire starting up or a spring coming through. When these are fully developed, he can tend the whole realm within the Four Seas, but if he failed to develop them, he will not be able even to serve his parents.”

---Almost all later Confucianists have accepted the Four Germs


四端• “… 人之有是四端也 , 猶其有四體也 . 有

是四端而自謂不能者 , 自賊者也…凡有四端于我者 , 知皆擴而充之矣 , 若火之始然 , 泉之始達 . 苟能充匕 , 足以保四海 ;苟不充之 , 不足以事父母 .”

I.5.2 Passages from Mencius: on the Original Heart-&-Mind 本心

• Efforts would be needed to recover our original heart-and mind (good nature).

• (M 11.8) Mencius said, “There was a time when the trees were luxuriant on the Ox Mountain, but as it is on the outskirts of a great metropolis, the trees are constantly lopped by axes… People, seeing only its baldness, tend to think that it never had any trees. But can this possibly be the nature of a mountain?...

• “孟子曰 : ‘牛山之木嘗美矣 , 以其效於大國也 , 斧斤伐之…人見其濯濯也 , 以為未嘗有材焉 , 此豈山之性也哉 ?”…

I.5.2 Passages from Mencius: on the Original Heart-&-Mind 本心

• (M 11.8)… “Can what is in man be completely lack in moral inclinations?... A man’s letting go his heart is like the case of the trees and the axes… Hence, given the right nourishment there is nothing that will not grow, while deprived of it there is nothing that will not wither away…

• “雖存乎故人者 , 豈無仁義之心哉 ? 其所以放其良心者 ,亦猶斧斤之於木也 , 旦旦而伐之 , 可以為美乎 ?... 苟得其養 , 無物不長 ; 苟失其養 , 無物不消…”

I.5.3 Passages from Mencius :on the Choice between Life & Yi

• (M 11.10) Mencius said, “Fish is what I want; bear’s palm is also what I want. If I cannot have both, I would rather take bear’s palm than fish. Life is what I want; yi is also what I want. If I cannot have both, I would choose yi rather than life…On the one hand, though life is what I want, there is something I want more than life. That is why I do not cling to life at all costs. On the other hand, though death is what I loathe, there is something I loathe more than death. That is why there are troubles I do not avoid…


• (M 11.10)… “If there is nothing a man wants more than life, then why should he have scruples about any means, so long as it will serve to keep him alive? If there is nothing a man loathes more than death, then why should he have scruples about any means, so long as it shows him the way to avoid trouble?

• “Yet there are ways of remaining alive and ways of avoiding death to which a man will not resort. In other words, there are things a man wants more than life and there are also things he loathes more than death. This is no attitude not confined to the moral man but common to all men. The moral man simply never loses it…”


• (M 11.10)… “Here is a basketful of rice and a bowlful of soup. Getting them will mean life; not getting them will mean death. When these are given with abuse, even a wayfarer will not accept them; when these are given after being trampled upon, even a beggar would not accept them.

I.5.3 Passages from Mencius :on the Choice between Life & Yi• “Yet when it comes to ten thousand

bushels of grain one is supposed to accept without asking if it is in accordance with li or if it is yi to do so. What benefit are ten thousand bushels of grain to me? Do I accept them for the sake of beautiful houses, the enjoyment of wives and concubines, or for the sake of the gratitude my needy acquaintances will show me?...


• (M 11.10)… “What I would not accept in the first instance when it was a matter of life and death I now accept for the sake of beautiful houses; what I would not accept when it was a matter of life and death I now accept for the enjoyment of wives and concubines; what I would not accept when it was a matter of life and death I now accept for the sake of gratitude my needy acquaintances will show me. Is there no way of putting a stop to this? This way of thinking is known as losing one’s original heart-and-mind.”


• “魚 , 我所欲也 , 熊掌亦我所欲也 ; 二者不可得兼 , 舍鱼而取熊掌也 . 生亦我所欲也 , 義亦我所欲也 ; 二者不可兼得 , 舍生而取義者也…生亦我所欲 , 所欲有甚於生者 , 故不為苟得也 ; 死亦我所惡 , 所惡有甚於死者 , 故患有所不辟也 . 如使人之所欲莫甚於生 ,則凡可以得生者 , 何不用也 ? 使人之所惡莫甚於死者 , 則凡可以辟患者 , 何不為也 ? 由是則生而有不用也 , 由是則可以辟患而有不為也 , 是故所欲有甚於生者 , 所惡有於死者 . 非獨賢者有是心也 , 人皆有之 , 賢者能勿喪耳 . 一簞食 , 一豆羹 , 得之則生 , 弗得則死 , 嘑爾而與已 , 行道之人弗受 ; 蹴爾而與之 , 乞人不屑也 ; 萬鍾則不辯禮義而受之 . 萬鍾於我何加焉 ? 為宮室之美 , 妻妾之奉 ,所識窮乏者得我與 ? 鄉為身死而不受 , 今為宮室之美為之 ; 鄉為身死而不受 , 今為妻妾之奉為之 ; 鄉為身死而不受 , 今為所識窮乏者得我而為之 , 是亦不可以已乎 ? 此之謂失其本心 .”

I.5.4 Passages from Mencius: on the Distinction between Man &

the Brute 人禽之辨• (M 8.19) Mencius said, “Slight is the

difference between man and the brutes. The common man loses this distinguishing feature, while junzi retains it. King Shun understood the way of things and had a keen insight into human relationships. He followed the path of ren and yi. He did not just put ren and yi into practice.”

• “人之所以異於禽獸其幾希 , 庶民去乞 , 君子存之 . 舜明於庶物 , 察於人倫 , 由仁義行 , 非行仁義也 .”

I.5.5 Passages from Mencius

• (M 11.15) Gongduzi said, “We are all human beings. Why is that some men become great and others become small?”

• Mencius said, “Those who follow the greatest qualities in their nature become great men and those who follow the smaller qualities in their nature become small men.”

• “But we are all human beings. Why is it that some follow their greater qualities and others follow their smaller qualities?”

I.5 Passages from Mencius: on Noble & Small Part 大體 , 小體

• (M 11.15)… Mencius replied, “When our senses of sight and hearing are used without thought and are thereby obscured by material things, the material things act on the material senses and lead them astray. The function of the mind is think. If we think, we will get them. If we do not think, we will not get them. This is Tian has given to us. If we first build up the nobler part of our nature, the inferior part cannot overcome it. It is simply this that makes a man great.

• “耳目之官不思 , 而蔽於物 . 物交物 , 則引之而已矣 . 心之官則思 , 思則得之 , 不思則不得也 . 此天之所與我者 . 先立乎其大者 ,則其小者不能奪也 . 此為大人而已矣 .”

I.6 On FilialThe Story of King Shun 舜 in the

Mencius 9.1-3• (M 9.1)… “Shun toiled in the fields for he was

disliked by his parents, though distressed, he must not bear them any grudge/ anger.

• … “Shun also wept and wailed, calling upon merciful Tian and calling upon father and mother because he did not think that a son should be so complacent as to say, “all that is required of me is that I should do my best in tilling the fields and discharge the duties of a son, and if my parents do not love me, what is that to me?”…

I.6 The Story of King Shun ( 舜 ) in the Mencius 9.1-3• … “The Emperor Yao sent his nine sons and

two daughter, together with the hundred officials, taking with them the full quota of cattle and sheep and provisions, to serve Shun in the fields.

• … “Most of the junzi of the Empire placed themselves under him, and the Emperor was about to hand the Empire over to him. But because he was unable to please his parents, Shun was like a man in extreme straits with no home to go back to.

I.6 The Story of King Shun in the Mencius 9.1-3

• … “Every man wants to be liked by the junzi of the Empire, yet this was not sufficient to deliver him from anxiety; beautiful women are also something every man desires, yet the bestowal of the Emperor Yao’s two daughters on Shun as wives was not sufficient to deliver him from anxiety; wealth is something every man wants, yet the wealth of possessing the whole Empire was not sufficient from anxiety; rank is something every man wants, yet the supreme rank of the Emperor was not sufficient to deliver him from anxiety…


• … “None of these things was sufficient to deliver him from anxiety which the pleasure he yearns for his parents; when he begins to take an interest in women, he yearns for the young and beautiful; when he has a wife, he yearns for his wife; when he enters public life he yearns for his prince and become restless if he is without one.

• … “A son of supreme dutifulness yearns for his parents all his life. In Shun I have seen an example of a son, who, even at the age of fifty, yearned for his parents.” (M 9.1)


• (M 9.2) … “Why then did Shun marry without telling his parents?”

• “Because he would not have been allowed to marry if he had told him. A man and woman living together is the most important of human relationships. If he had told his parents, he would have to put aside the most important relationships and this would sour relationships with his parents. That ‘s why he did not tell them.”


• … “The reason why Shun married without telling his parents is now clear to me. But why did the Emperor give Shun his daughter in marriage without telling his parents?”

• … “The Emperor also aware that telling them would have prevented the marriage from taking place.”

• … “Shun’s parents sent him to repair the barn. They removed the ladder and the Blind Man set fire to the barn. They sent Shun to dig the well, set out after him and blocked up the well over him.


• … “Hsiang 象 (the brother of Shun, whom is the favorite son of his parents) said, “The credit for plotting against the life of Shun goes to me. The cattle and sheep go to you, father and mother, and the granaries as well. But the spears go to me and the lute and bow as well. His two wives should also be made to look after my quarters.” ”

• Hsiang went into Shun’s house and there Shun was, seated on the bed playing on the lute. Hsiang, in some embarrassment , said, “I was thinking of you.”


• … “Shun said, ‘I am thinking of my subjects. You can help me in the task of government.’ I wonder if Shun was unwared of Hsiang’s intention to kill him.”

• “ How could he be unwared? Hew was worried when Hsiang was worried, and pleased when Hsiang was pleased.”

• “In that case did Shun just pretend to be pleased?”

• “No, Hsiang came as a loving brother, and so Shun honestly believed him and was pleased…” (M 9.2)


• (M 9.3) “Hsiang devoted himself every day to plotting against Shun’s life. Why did Shun only banish him when he became Emperor?”

• “ He enfeoffed him,” said Mencius. “Some called this banishment.”

• “Shun banished two wicked persons and the people in the empire bowed to his will with admiration in their hearts. This was because Shun punished the wicked. Hsiang was the most wicked of all, yet he was merely enfeoffed in Yu Pi. What wrong had the people in Yu Pi done? …


• …“Is that the way a person of ren behaves? Others he punished, but when come to his brother he enfeoffs him instead.”

• “A person of ren never harbors anger or nurses a grudge against a brother. All he does is to love him. Because he loves him, he wishes him to enjoy rank; because he loves him, he wishes him to enjoy wealth. To place Hsiang in Yu Pi was to let him enjoy wealth and rank. If as Emperor he were to allow his brother to be a nobody, could that be described as loving him?”…


• “May I ask what you meant by saying that some called this banishment?”

• “Hsiang was not allowed to take an active part in the government of his area. Shun appointed officials to administer the fief and to collect tributes and taxes. For this reason it was described as banishment. Hsiang was certainly not permitted to ill-use the people. Shun frequently want ed to see him and so there was an endless flow of tributes streaming in.” (M 9.3)

I.7 A Similar Theme from the Analects

• (A 13.18) The Governor of She said to Confucius, “In our village we have our Straight Body. When his father stole a sheep, he the son gave evidence against him.”( 吾黨有直躬者 ,其父攘羊 , 而子證之 .)

• Confucius answered, “ In our village those who are straight are quite different. Fathers cover up for their sons, and sons cover up for their fathers. In such behavior is straightness to be found as a matter of course.” ( 吾黨之直者異於是 : 父為子隱 , 子為父隱 .—直在其中矣 )

I.7 Filial (the Analects)• (A 13.18)• 1. the most valuable/ lovable

relationship: father and son• 2. this idea influences Chinese

culture• 3. Is it good/ bad?

II. Xunzi/ Hsun Tuz 荀子 (298-238 B.C.)

• a native of Chao 趙 (N. China, modern Shanzi 山西 )

• Age fifty: went Chi 齊 (Shantung 山東 ), where scholars congregated– became the most eminent

• Eventually some people slandered him– he went to Chu 楚 , became a magistrate

• later lost his position and became a professional teacher till his death

II. Xunzi/ Hsun Tuz (298-238 B.C.)

• A contemporary of Mencius (younger)– the two never met.– Xunzi critisized Mencius in his book

• His book, Xunzi :logical, self-contained essays

II.1 A Comparison among Xunzi, Mencius &

Confucius• Confucius: “Men are close to one another by

nature. They drift apart through behavior that is constantly repeated”( 性相近 , 習相遠 ) (A 17.2)

- that is, all men were alike in nature but become difference concerning practice.

-Confucius does not deliberately discuss whether human nature is good/evil.


ConfuciusMencius: “distinguishing element in man”

• i.e. the slight difference between man & animals Xunzi: “naturalistic Confucianism”

• Xunzi: “natural desires” in man• i.e. common in man & animals

• Mencius and Xunzi : 2 divergent tendencies in Confucianism.


Confucius • Mencius: the original good nature of man

– 人性本善• Xunzi: the original evil nature of man

– 人性本惡– Xunzi: necessary to control/discipline the original evil

nature through external law, xue, and rules of ritual propriety (li) 禮 .

• Confucius/Mencius/Xunzi: – Every man can become a sage, a junzi, the idea of

ren and yi, in kindly government, and in xue (education)


Confucius• Xunzi = more popular than Mencius through

the Han Dynasty (206B.C.-220A.D.) • his naturalistic interpretation of Tian 天 , close

to Daoism.• In his advocation of control, he contributed to

the authoritarianism that resulted in the dictatorship of the Chin 秦 (221-206B.C.)—as the two most important ministers of Chin 秦 / Legalists 法家 , Han Feiz 韓非子 and Li Su 李斯 , were his pupils.


Confucius• After Han Dynasty, Xunzi =largely neglected

until the 19th century.

• Then Mencius was regarded as in the direct line of transmission from Confucius.

• No commentaries were written on Xunzi’s work until the 9th century and very few since then.

II.2.1 Xunzi’s Teachings: “Tian”

• 1. Xunzi’s tian• “Tian operates with constant regularity. It does

not exist for the sake of Sage Yao nor does it cease to exist because of (wicked king) Chieh…If dao is cultivated with deviation, then Tian cannot cause misfortune. Therefore flood and drought cannot cause a famine… But if the foundations of living are neglected and used extravagantly, then Tian cannot make the country rich…Tian does not suspend the winter because men dislike cold…Tian has its constant way, earth has its constant dimensions; junzi has his constant demeanor…” (X ch.17)

II.2.1 Xunzi’s Teachings: “Tian”天

• “天行有常 , 不為堯存 , 不為桀亡…循道而不貳 , 則天不能禍 , 故水旱不能使之飢渴…本荒而用侈 , 則天不能使之富…天不為人惡寒也輟冬…天有常道矣 ,地有常數矣 ,君子有常體矣…”

• Comment: Xunzi’s tian is purely Nature, i.e. a naturalistic tian, so that the word can be understood as nature, rather than purposive. Though Xunzi accepted the daoistic naturalistic view, he is not influenced by their intuitionism and mysticism. In Xunzi, we have rationalism and

II.2.2 Xunzi’s Teachings: “Emphasis Wisdom (zhi

知 )”• “The sage purifies his natural ruler (heart-

and-mind control the five organs), sufficiently provides for his natural nourishment, follows the natural government, and nourishes his natural feelings so as to bring to completion the work of tian. In this way he knows what to do and what not to do. Hence tian and earth too perform their functions and all things serve him. His actions are completely ordered; his nourishment of the people is completely appropriate; his life is without injury. This is what it menas to truly understand tian. …”(Xunzi ch.17)

II.2.2 Xunzi’s Teachings: “Emphasis

Wisdom (zhi)”• “聖人清其天君 ,正其天官 ,備其天養 ,順其天政 , 養其

天情 , 以全其天功 . 如是 , 則知其所為 , 知其所不為矣 ,則天地官而万物役矣 . 其行曲治 , 其養曲適 , 其生不傷 ,夫是之謂知天…”

• Comment: Most Confucianists either emphasizes ren and wisdom equally or stressed ren. Xunzi, yet emphasizes wisdom. Obviously, inborn ren has no room in his theory of the innate evil nature of man. As an acquired virtue (de), ren is valued. But being a tough-minded realist, he relies on wisdom (zhi) rather than such as idealistic quality as ren.

II.2.3 Xunzi’s Teachings: “Exclusion of Supernatural

Power”• The influence of supernatural

forces over man is completely ruled out by Xunzi.

• The important thing is one’s attitude, especially sincerity, in the performance.

• His attitude is close to Confucius’.

II.2.4 Xunzi’s Teachings: “Rectification of Names

(zhengming正名 )”• (X ch.22)“When the kings set about regulating names, if

the names and the realities to which they apply are made fixed and clear, so that he can carry out Dao and communicate his intentions to others, then he may guide the people with circumspection and unify them…Names have no intrinsic appropriateness. One agrees to use a certain name and issues an order to that effect, and if the agreement is abided by and becomes a matter of custom, then the name may be said to be appropriate, but if people do not abide by the agreement, then the names cease to be appropriate. Names have no intrinsic reality. One agrees to use a certain name and issues an order that it shall be applied to a certain reality, and if the agreement is abided by and become a matter of custom, then it may be said to be a real name…”

II.2.4 Xunzi’s Teachings:

“Rectification of Names”

• “故王者之制名 ,名定而實辨 , 道行而志通 , 則慎率民而一焉…名無固宜 ,約之以命 ,約定俗成謂之宜 , 異於約則謂不宜 .名無固實 ,約之以命實 ,約定俗成謂之實名 .”

• Comment: The rectification of names was a common topic among ancient Chinese thoughts. Yet only in Xunzi, did it develop into some sort o systematic logical theory. Whereas in other schools the interest is chiefly social or moral, in Xunzi it is predominantly logical. This is the nearest approach to logic in ancient Chinese philosophy.

II.2.5 Xunzi’s Teachings: “The Nature of Man is Evil”性惡篇• “The nature of man is evil; his goodness is the

result of his (artificial) activity. Now, man’s inborn nature is seek for gain. If this tendency is followed, strife and rapacity result and deference and compliance disappear. By inborn nature one is envious and hates others. If these tendencies are followed, injury and destruction result and loyalty and faithfulness disappear. By inborn nature one possesses the desires of eye and ear and likes sound and beauty. If these tendencies are followed, lewdness and licentiousness result, and the pattern and order of propriety and…

II.2.5 Xunzi’s Teachings: “The Nature of Man is

Evil”• “righteousness disappear. Therefore to follow

man’s nature and feelings will inevitably result in strife and rapacity, combine with rebellion and disorder, and end in violence. Therefore there must be the civilizing influence of teachers and laws and the guidance of propriety and righteousness, and then it will result in deference and compliance, combine with pattern and order, and end in discipline. It is clear that the nature of man is evil and that his goodness is the result of activity.” (Xunzi ch.23)


Evil”• “人之性惡 , 其善者偽也 . 今人之性 , 生而有好利焉 ,順是 , 故爭奪生而辭讓亡焉 ; 生而有疾惡焉 ,順是 , 故殘賊生而忠信亡焉 ; 生而有耳目之欲 , 有好聲色焉 ,順是 , 故淫亂生而禮義文理亡焉 . 然則從人之性 ,順人之情 ,必出於爭奪 , 今於犯文亂理而歸於暴 . 故必將有師法之化 , 禮義之道 , 然後出於辭讓 ,合於文理而歸於治 . 用此觀之 , 然則人之性惡明矣 , 其善偽也 .”


Evil”• Xunzi : li, xue, law= for external

control. – li shifted from a means of personal

moral cultivation to social control.

• Confucius and Mencius: li, ren, yi should be internalized

Pre-Chin Confucianism II Mencius and Xunzi. Outline I. Mencius 孟子 II. Xunzi 荀子.

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Transcript of Pre-Chin Confucianism II Mencius and Xunzi. Outline I. Mencius 孟子 II. Xunzi 荀子.