About the Author 丨Shen Shunfu is a professor and doctoral supervisor at the Research Center for Yixue and Ancient Chinese Philosophy and the Advanced Research Institute of Confucianism at Shandong University.
The original article is published in Quest, No. 4, 2021.
Summary of content
It is generally believed that Xunzi is a sexual evil theorist, which is the meaning of the title of "Xunzi". However, it also has a hidden meaning, that is, there are certain good things in innate things, such as knowledge, benevolence, kindness, etc., which are innate things and can be called goodness. Goodness is an innate temperament, it is the intrinsic basis for human beings to become sages, and therefore something good and worthy of affirmation, similar to mencius's human nature. Xun Zi advocated stimulating the good qualities in the body in the form of ritual enlightenment, so that one could become a sage. Xunzi inherited and developed Mencius' ideas.
Keywords: Xunzi; Goodness; Mencius; Enlightenment
Xunzi's theory of human nature is the central content of Xunzi's philosophy, and naturally it is also one of the focuses of academic research, which is usually defined as sexual evil theory. In recent years, some scholars have reversed the traditional position and put forward the "theory of sexual simplicity" and other arguments1, but on the whole, the authority of the Xunzi sexual evil theory has not been shaken. Judging from its theoretical system, the author believes that Xunzi Thought not only contains the theory of sexual evil as the meaning of the topic, but also contains the content of the theory of goodness or virtue as an unspoken meaning. From this point of view, it can also be said that Xunzi inherited and developed Mencius's theory of virtue.
I. The meaning of the title of "Xunzi"
with implications
What is sex? Xunzi had a clear definition of this. In Xunzi's view, sex mainly contains at least three contents. First, sex is something inherent in nature. Xun Zi said: "The sex and the heavens are also; the lover and the quality of sex are also; the desirers and emotions should also be." To seek what is desired is to be obtained, and what is loved will inevitably be desired. If you think that you can do it, you will know what you will do. Therefore, although it is a gatekeeper, it is impossible to go to desire, and the sexual possession is also. The 2 sexes are not the result of man's acquired activities, but things that human beings are born with, so Xun Zi said: "All sexual beings, the heavens are also, can not be learned, can not be done." The righteous are born of the saints, the learned and able, and the one who does things. What cannot be learned, what cannot be done, but what is in man is called sex; what can be learned and can be done, and what can be done in man, is called hypocrisy. It is also the distinction between sexual hypocrisy. In the nature of this human being, the eyes can see and the ears can hear; the husband can see the light without leaving the eyes, can hear the wisdom without leaving the ears, and the eyes are clear and the ears are deaf, and cannot be learned. 3 For example, the audiovisual ability of the eyes and ears, etc., sex is naturally possessed, which is opposed to the "pseudo" of man, and the "pseudo" of man is not sex. Xun Zi said: "The one who is born is called sex; the sum of sex is born, the fine induction, the naturalness of nothing, called sex." "4 Sex is innate, which is the first connotation of the concept of Xunzi sex, and it is also the basic nature of the concept of sex, that is, sex or human nature usually refers to what is inherent in human beings.
Second, sex has evil properties. Xun Zi said: "The nature of today's human beings is born with good interests. Shun is, so the struggle is born and resigned to death; born with disease and evil, Shun is, so the thief is born and faithful to die; born with the desire of the eyes and ears, there is a good voice, shun is, so fornication is born and etiquette and righteousness are dead. 5 The abominable nature here includes the heart of "good-for-profit," the love of (ill-evil), and the "lust of the eyes and ears." That is to say, sex is embodied in the heart, emotions, desires, etc. Looking at the heart first, Xunzi said, "The one who has the heart, the king of form, and the lord of the gods, gives orders and does not receive orders." Self-prohibition also, self-making also, self-conquest also, self-taking also, self-also, self-stopping also. Therefore, the mouth can be robbed and make the ink cloud, the form can be robbed and the curse is made, the heart cannot be robbed and makes the intention easy, yes is accepted, and if it is not, it is resigned. The "6 hearts" have the ability to "make themselves", "take themselves", "take themselves", etc., and these abilities often bring risks or disasters to people's survival. Therefore, the mind is not a reliable and entirely affirmative thing, and the same is true of emotions and desires. Lust and desire belong to the activity of instinctively chasing external objects, the "self-interest is not enough, and the pretending to be desireless also acts false and dangerous, and the strong and high-minded and prudent person is also vulgar, and the indulgent and obedient person is also"7, "profit" is the spontaneous and rational pursuit of external objects and interests by human beings. Whether it is lust or self-interest, it reflects people's desire and pursuit of interests. This is an important theory of Xunzi: people are born to be profitable. If the people who live in groups are allowed to indulge in their indulgence, there will be competition, which will lead to chaos and eventually to extinction. Thus, Xun Zi came to the conclusion: "The nature of man is evil, and his good is false." 8 The nature of the pursuit of profit is harmful to the survival of human beings living in groups, and therefore human nature is evil. This is Xunzi's theory of sexual evil, and the theory of sexual evil is Xunzi's unique view.
In Xunzi's eyes, human nature is a bad temperament thing, and may bring disasters and other evil consequences. Many scholars have expressed their incomplete agreement with the view that Xunzi's theory of sexual inferiority has been summarized, and various alternative defenses have been made. Some scholars have understood Xunzi's human nature as "sexual simplicity", such as the late scholar Zhou Chicheng said: "When Xunzi advocated the falsification of sex and acted against nature, he held a negative attitude toward man's natural desires; and when he advocated nourishing desires and seeking, and going along with nature, he held a positive attitude toward this." When he takes the latter attitude, he actually rejects the theory of sexual evil. In this case, he actually regards man's natural desires as good, or at least as neither good nor evil. At this time he became a sexual goodist, or a sexual good and no evil. "9 There are many scholars who hold similar views." The theory of "sex has no good and no evil" regards human nature as a blank slate, and there is no good or evil, which seems to be in line with the simple meaning of sex. In fact, at least since Mencius, human nature has been associated with good or evil. Mencius regarded sex as good, and Xunzi regarded sex as evil. In Xunzi, human nature is by no means a whiteboard of sexual simplicity. Some scholars believe that "the main theme of "Sexual Evil" is sexual evil and mental goodness"10, although this view notes the good and evil sides of Xunzi's concept of human nature, but ignores the connection between mental nature. In fact, in Xunzi, the mind and sex overlap, or sex is nausea. Simply asserting goodness of mind is not accurate. Xun zi not only has the theory of goodness of the heart, but also has the heart of goodness, and the heart of self-interest cannot be said to be good in any way.
Third, human nature needs to be indoctrinated. Evil human nature, "will wait for the teacher and then be righteous, and be courteous and righteous and then healed... The Holy King of the Ancients regarded the evil nature of man as dangerous and unjust, and the rebellion without rule, but he took it as a courtesy and righteousness, made the law degree, corrected it by correcting man's sentimentality, and led it by disturbing man's emotional nature. The beginning is from the rule, and the one who is in harmony with the Tao is also. Today's humanized people are gentlemen who imitate the teachings, accumulate literature, and morality and righteousness; those who indulge in temperament and peace and righteousness and violate etiquette and righteousness are villains. From this point of view, however, the nature of man is evil, and his good one is false" 11. Etiquette and righteousness and dharma can be used to correct and revise dispositions so that they conform to the Tao, and indoctrination has become an important means of transforming human nature and making adults good, which is generally the main content of Xunzi's theory of human nature. In other words, the above content is the meaning of the xunzi sexual evil theory.
Early Confucians such as Confucius believed that sex was a natural material for people. Confucius said: "Sex is similar, and habit is far away." "12 people are born with similar natures, and the difference between people is the acquired habits. In other words, whether a person can become a sage is not because of nature, but because of the learning, transformation and practice of the day after tomorrow. Obviously, in Confucius's case, these materials are not good or bad, and their role does not seem to be important, which is the connotation of the "birth of the child". The thought of The Confessor generally inherited Confucius's theory of human nature and became the mainstream in the history of thought. This idea highlights the innate nature of human nature, which distinguishes between good and evil or good and evil. Mencius absorbed the content of the traditional theory of human nature, "the meaning of life", thinking that human nature must be the newborn. At the same time, Mencius further deepened the traditional theory of nature, that is, classified the innate things, and defined the good part of them as sex. "But the nature of the dog, the nature of the ox, the nature of the cow, the nature of the Jews and the nature of the Jews?" 13 Mencius called certain parts of the materials that humans are born with as human nature and distinguished them from other creatures. Beginning with Mencius, humanity as a natural thing was divided into two categories, good and evil, and Mencius defined the good part of it as human nature. Human nature is the material of goodness that people are born with, such as the aura of grandeur. This is the essence of Mencius's theory of human nature. Xunzi obviously knew Mencius's approach or position of dichotomy, but unlike Mencius's approach, Xunzi defined the evil part of it as human nature. This is the meaning of the xunzi human nature theory, that is, the well-known Xunzi sexual evil theory. Xunzi's Theory of Sexual Evil", which fully shows that although Xunzi emphasizes that human nature has an evil side, he does not say that all the connotations of human nature are evil. Therefore, it is obviously wrong to understand Xunzi's proposition of 'evil nature' as "all human nature is evil" and "all human nature is evil""14. Xunzi also has his own implications about human nature, that is, the idea of the good part, which is exactly in line with Mencius's theory of human nature.
Second, born with kindness
In the text of "Xunzi", we can not only read the meaning of Xunzi's title, but also see the implicit meaning. Xun Zi basically accepted the traditional concept of all things born and said: "The one who is born in heaven and earth, the beginning of life; the one who is righteous, the beginning of governance; the gentleman, the beginning of righteousness; the one who is for it, the one who runs through it, the one who accumulates weight, the one who is good, the beginning of a gentleman." "The 15 heavens and the earth give life to all things (including human beings), and heaven is the basis of human existence. At the same time as being born with all things, it also naturally gives all things and the original material of human beings. These materials are the basis of human survival, and at the same time the basic conditions of adulthood. Xun Zi said: "The heavenly duty has been established, the heavenly merit has been completed, the form is born of God, the likes and dislikes are like and disliked, the sorrows are happy, and the husband is called heavenly affection." The shape of the ears, nose, and mouth can be connected without being able to do so, and the husband is called a heavenly official. The heart is centered in the void to rule the five senses, and the husband is called the Heavenly King. ...... The saint purifies his heavenly king, corrects his heavenly officials, prepares his heavenly maintenance, obeys his heavenly government, and cultivates his heavenly feelings, so as to fulfill his heavenly merits. "16 people are born with materials such as Heavenly Officials and Heavenly Lords, and human beings or adults are based on this. Therefore, these innate materials and their activities have been affirmed by Xunzi to a certain extent. Xun Zi said: "Therefore, the outer scene of the Turbidity, the inner scene of the Qingming Dynasty, the saint indulges his desires and his feelings, and the one who makes the brakes is reasonable; Ho put up! What a danger! Therefore, the path of the benevolent is also the way of doing nothing; the path of the saint is also the way of the saint, and there is no strong. [17] The saints indulged in lust for the sake of lust, and here lust is obviously not the lust that Xunzi crusaded against, based on malignant lust, but should refer to the lust revealed by those innate, good natures. Xun Zi said: "There is desire and no desire, there is also a different kind, there is life and death, and there is no chaos." The number of desires, the number of different kinds, the number of emotions, and the non-chaos. Desire is not waiting to be obtained, but the seeker is free to do. If you want to be unattainable, you will suffer from Heaven. The seeker receives what he can and receives from the heart. One of the heavens. Desire is subject to the many things that the mind suffers, and the difficulties are subject to the heavens. 18 Lust is an innate physiological instinct of human beings, and it is also a matter of vital importance for life and death, which is indispensable, and life without lust is impossible. Compared with natural desires, although the "seeker" has a certain initiative, in essence, "seeking" is not a desire? Such desires are something to be affirmed.
For example, the innate intellectual ability of man, Xun Zi said: "Whoever knows, human nature is also; it can be known, and the truth of things is also." With the principle of being able to know human nature and seeking to know things, and without any doubt, there is no world of poverty that cannot be repeated. "19 Sex contains cognitive abilities, and this intellectual faculty is the human ability to perceive physical things. This ability is not only important, but also an essential endowment. The carrier of this innate ability is the heart. Xun Zi pointed out: "The heart has knowledge. To know is to know the sound of the ear, and to know the shape of the eye. However, the conquest will be waited for the heavenly officials to be in the book of its kind and then it can also be. If the five senses are not known, and the mind knows but does not say, then people are not known. This is the same as the difference. The 20 minds are known through various senses, among which, "the shapes of the ears, nose, and mouth can be connected without being able to do so, and the husband is called a heavenly official." The heart is in the middle of the void, in order to rule the five senses, and the husband is called the heavenly king" 21. The mind is central and rules over the five senses, and this "mind" is called intellectuality or reason in today's terminology, and intellectuality depends on the senses and the sensations provided by the senses to obtain a relatively complete consciousness or concept. In Xunzi's view, a mind with intellectual power is an important condition for human beings to make correct judgments, reasonable choices, and effective behavior. Xun Zi said: "If you are worried and afraid, you will not know its taste, you will listen to the bells and drums but do not know its sound, you will not know its shape when you look at it, you will not know its shape, you will be warm and flat and your body will not know its safety." "22 The mind is determined to be full of lust, otherwise the diet is tasteless. The mind of reason dominates human consciousness and behavior, Xun Zi said: "The reason why the old man is human is not special because of his two legs and hairless, but also because he has discernment." Husbands and beasts have fathers and sons but no father and son, and there is no difference between men and women. Therefore, humanity is not discerning. 23 It is this rational judgment that distinguishes man from animals. At this point, Xunzi elevated the rational activities of human beings to the height of the distinction between human and bird, and explored the essence of human beings from the perspective of cognition.
The intellectual mind becomes the basis of human adulthood, and this intellectual mind or "good mind" is a certain good quality. Xun Zi said: "The person who makes Tu now has the qualities that can be known and the tools that can be powered, and the knowable principles and possible tools of benfu benevolence, but he can be Yu Mingyi." 24 This knowable quality, the power of being able to do, is the innate qualification or material of human beings. Xun Zi said: "Knowing the ability of material nature, the gentleman is also a villain; good honor and evil humiliation, good profit and evil harm are the same as the gentleman and the villain; if he asks for it, it is different." "There is no difference in the 25 innate materials ("material knowledge"), the difference lies only in the practice of the day after tomorrow. Among them, "Therefore, the gentleman believes in himself, and he also desires others to believe in himself; he who is loyal also wants others to be close to himself; he who revises and discerns, and he also desires others to be good to himself; he who is easy to know and know, who is easy to do, who is easy to hold, and who is easy to hold, will be good to him, and will not encounter his evils"26. A gentleman has faith, and if he has faith, he has truth, which is similar to holding nature, and holding nature can be safe and easy to stand. This is what is good and what is evil, that is, what "university" calls "lustful". Persistence is the expansion of one's own good temperament nature, "then the gentleman is wrong, and the villain is wrong." ...... The art of benevolence and righteousness, the art of constant peace, but not necessarily not the danger, the trick of the thief, the art of constant danger, but not necessarily uneasy also"27. Neither the natural nature nor the art of benevolence and righteousness can be done, and the correct way is to combine the two, so that benevolence and righteousness can be at ease. Benevolence, according to Mencius, is a virtuous act. The relationship between benevolence and righteousness and the human heart is the relationship between benevolence and righteousness that conforms to virtue and the natural human heart, and the benevolent righteousness of virtue and human heart are induced, and then they can be at ease and eventually become adults. Adults not only need benevolence and righteousness, but also the human hearts of the people who are indoctrinated.
The human heart, as the object of enlightenment, is actually an innate material, and sanctification is nothing more than processing on this innate material, this innate material that Mencius called human nature. Similarly, Xun Zi said: "The sex one, the original material is simple; the pseudo,The literary longsheng is also." Asexuality is false and nothing, and non-hypocrisy cannot be self-beautiful. Sexual hypocrisy, and then become the name of a saint, and the merits of the world are also done. Therefore, it is said that the heavens and the earth are united and all things are born, the yin and yang change one after another, and the sexual pseudo-unity and the world rule. "28 Sex and falsehood are combined to make sages. The "sex" mentioned here is obviously not the malignancy defined by Xunzi, but the opposite, innate, and manufacturable good material. The sages arose from a combination of innate materials ("sex") and acquired effort ("pseudo"),in fact, in the Xunzi system of thought, adults have not only external conditions, but also internal basis. This intrinsic basis for being a sage is similar to virtue. According to this, some scholars have pointed out that "Xunzi affirms the innate benevolence and righteousness of man, which is the root of why man is human"29, Xunzi thought does contain the connotation of goodness or virtue.
In Xunzi's view, adults are the result of the joint action of both inside and outside. Xun Zi said, "Fu Yu, gentleman Bede Yan." Gentle and lustrous, benevolent; chestnut and reasonable, knowing also; firm and unyielding, righteous also; incorruptible but not sharp, also acting; folding but not radial, courageous also; flaws and seeing, affection also; buckled, its voice is clear and far away, its stop is quit, resignation also. Therefore, although there is a carving of Min, it is not like a chapter of jade. The reason for this "jade chapter" is that the jade itself has an internal basis, and at the same time it has been exquisitely processed, and the combination of inside and outside has achieved beautiful jade. In the same way, benevolence not only needs external processing, but also cannot be separated from the internal basis, so Xunzi pointed out: "The one who is beautiful is the origin of the beautiful world; the one who is safe is the foundation of the world; the one who is noble is the origin of your world." The ancient kings were divided and equal to each other, so that beauty, or evil, or thick, or thin, or or happy, or lily or lao, not especially thought of as the voice of the obscene Tai Quarry, will be Akihito's text, Tongren's Shunya. Therefore, it is carved, engraved, and written, so that it is enough to distinguish between the noble and the lowly, and does not seek its view. 31 All human cultural activities are aimed at processing this inner "essence" and for the purpose of "cultivating morality." The intrinsic essence is the object of human activity and the basis for the formation of materials. Xun Zi said: "A gentleman knows that what is not complete is not pure enough for beauty, so he recites it consistently, thinks about it, treats it for others, and maintains it for those who remove its harm." ...... Birth is by the cause, death is by the cause, and the husband is the virtue. Virtue can then be fixed, can be fixed and then can be responded to. Can be able to cope, husband is called an adult. The heavens see its light, the earth sees its light, and the gentleman is precious to his wholeness. "32 Adults are not only virtuous, but also noble. Guiquan is the perfection of inherent virtue, and inherent virtue is the nature of goodness.
Third, the things of benevolence and temperament
Xun Zi said: "Water and fire have qi but no life, grass and trees are born and ignorant, animals and animals have knowledge but no righteousness, people have qi, life, knowledge, and righteousness, so they are the most noble in the world." "33 people are born with temperament, nature, and knowledge, and this innate material, according to the traditional concept, is sex. Xun Zi said: "The reason why life is so is called sex; the sum of sex is born, the essence of induction, and the nature of nothing is called sex." Sexual good, evil, joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure. But the heart chooses the name of the worry. "34 Sex is the innate temperament, and this innate temperament has the function of induction. This induction activity is a temperament activity, that is, only the temperament can produce induction. The nature of temperament is affection, so affection is the expression form of the main body of temperament, such as anger, resentment, joy and other emotions are all qi.
This kind of temperament not only has the evil quality that Xunzi calls (that is, the human nature defined by Xunzi), but also has the material of goodness. Xun Zi said: "Therefore, a gentleman is respectful and peaceful; he is also respectful and peaceful in things; Benevolence and kindness cover the world without Min, Mingda uses heaven and earth, rationalizes all changes without doubt, flesh and blood are peaceful, ambition is broad, righteousness is stuffed between heaven and earth, and benevolence is also extreme. "35 Gentlemen can achieve peace of flesh and blood, and their will is vast and full of the world, and this kind of temperament that can be expanded is the heart of a gentleman." This gentleman's heart is a material made of good qi. This kind of good material, Xunzi is also called "benevolent heart": "The festival of resignation is complete, and the length and small are straightened out; taboo is not called, and resignation cannot be given." Speak with a benevolent heart, listen with a learned heart, and discern with a public heart. "36 Benevolence, public heart, etc. are a kind of kind temperament heart. This kind of kindness, Xunzi believes, everyone has: "Those who paint can know the righteousness of father and son inside, and the righteousness of kings and subjects on the outside, but the quality that they can know, the tools that can be powered, and those who paint them are clear." 37 Everyone has these qualifications or grounds for adulthood or sanctification, Xun Zi said: "Although the lady is beautiful in nature and knows in her heart, she will seek a wise teacher and do things, and choose a good friend and a friend." If you have a wise teacher and do things, you will hear the way of Yao Shun Yu Tang, and if you have a good friend and a friend, you will see the way of faithfulness and respect. "38 people are also born with beauty and kindness, and if they process on this basis, they can become talents and adults.
Man grows up to preserve this innate benevolence or goodness. Xun Zi pointed out: "A gentleman who cultivates his heart is not good at sincerity, and if he is sincere, he has nothing else to do." Only benevolence is to keep, only righteousness is to act. Sincerity and benevolence are forms, forms are gods, and gods can be transformed. Sincerity and righteousness are reasonable, reason is clear, and clarity can change. Change is called heavenly virtue. "39 Sincerity can nourish the heart, and the heart that is maintained is naturally a kind heart and a benevolent heart worthy of affirmation. Therefore, Xunzi advocates "raising": "The reason why Fu Li Yi Wen Li nourishes affection is also!" 40 Etiquette can nourish disposition, and the disposition corresponding to etiquette is naturally good nature. Cultivating the heart is to cultivate goodness and goodness, Xun Zi said: "The intention to cultivate, the virtue to be thick, and the wisdom to be clear is the reason why the Son of Heaven takes the world." 41 Cultivation means to expand the temperament of goodness. In Xunzi's view, the flesh of goodness is the source of benevolence and righteousness, the basis of adulthood. This kind of adult, the basis for goodness, is naturally a positive and good thing. Otherwise, without this basis, how can the grinding brick become a mirror? However, if it is therefore proposed that "benevolence is 'the source of the heart', so one should 'sincerely keep benevolence', and 'sincerity' means that the benevolence of human nature within it is revealed by what it is"42, it goes to the extreme or the opposite. In Xunzi's case, Ren was partial to external indoctrination.
Xunzi not only talks about being positive and enterprising, but also has the idea of doing nothing. Xun Zi said, "Therefore, Da Qiao does not do what he does, and Da Zhi does not worry about it." ...... Officials guard the heavens and keep their own way. 43 Not doing anything, not worrying, etc. is a great coincidence and great wisdom, which is highly similar to Taoist thought. At first glance, this theory of inaction seems to contradict Xunzi's positive and enterprising outlook on life, and the theory of goodness solves the above problems. Since man is inherently virtuous, it is enough to be obedient. Nature is inaction, and inaction is another way of nurturing nature. Through the natural way of nourishment, the primordial micro-nature can grow from small to large. Xun Zi said: "The use of the Holy King is also: to look up at the heavens, down to the earth, to fill the gap between heaven and earth, to give alms to all things, small and clear, short and long, narrow and wide, the gods are broad and even covenant." Therefore, one and one are called saints for men. "44 To become a sage is to go from the small to the clear, from the short to the long, from the narrow to the wide, and this is to expand the nature. The way in which one does nothing and expands one's nature shows that Xunzi also believes that there is something in one's innate nature that is worth affirming, namely goodness or virtue.
Fourth, benevolence and ritual enlightenment
Xun Zi advocated the use of ritual and indoctrination to transform people and make them holy and virtuous. Xun Zi said: "On the liturgical music, the right body, the wide education, the beauty of customs, the repetition and the adjustment of one, the matter of public justice." "45 The Teachings of Liturgy can straighten out one's conduct and thus have a strong indoctrination function. So, how does the teaching of liturgy touch people's hearts and attract people to the best? The mechanism of liturgical indoctrination is temperament induction, which is said to be a traditional Chinese doctrine. "Zhou Yi" said: "Zi Yue: the same sound corresponds, and the same qi seeks each other." The water is wet, the fire is dry, the clouds are from the dragon, and the wind is from the tiger. The saints do it and all things see. Those who are born of heaven and earth are subordinate, and each of them is subordinate to his kind. 46 "Zhou Yi" believes that the same qi is mutually inductive: good qi exhales good qi, and evil qi invites evil qi. Xun Zi accepted the induction theory of Zhou Yi, saying: "A gentleman who is clean in his arguments and is in harmony with those who are good at what he says should be." Therefore, the horse sings and the horse responds, not knowing it, and its persistence is also. "47 There are similar corresponding phenomena in the universe, such as cattle singing cattle and horses responding to horses. This kind of induction mechanism or principle embodied in the ritual teaching is "and": the two qi correspond. It is embodied in the use of the good qi in the liturgical music to stimulate the good qi in the body of the object, thereby changing the temperament of the object. This process of change is indoctrination, which Song Ru calls "changing temperament"48.
Xun Zi believes that liturgy comes from sages: "Where did the liturgy originate? A: Born with desires, and if you want and can't, you can't be without demand. If there is no measurement boundary, it cannot be disputed; if there is chaos, chaos is poor. The first kings were evil and chaotic, so they made rituals and righteousness divided, so as to feed the desires of men and give people what they wanted. "49 Sages created culture such as Li le, as a product of the sages' activities, Li Le naturally condensed the sages' painstaking efforts and temperament, and li le indoctrination is to use the liturgical music rich in the sage temperament to stimulate the good temperament in the people's body. This excitation process is gasification induction. For example, similar to the modern dance ceremony, Xun Zi said: "The ceremonial person, the intermittent long and short, the loss is more than enough, the benefit is insufficient, the love and respect of the text, and the beauty of the righteous is also nourished." Therefore, the literary ornamentation, the coarseness, the vocal music, the crying, the pleasure, the sorrow..." The 50 ceremonies are a form of physical activity, and these physical movements contain a certain temperament of the founder, such as the mournful breath contained in the crying sound. Therefore, Xun Zi said: "The liturgical one, take the property as the use, the noble and the lowly as the text, the number of differences, and the long killing as the key." Literary and rational, emotional and provincial, is the ceremony of Takaya. Liberal arts province, sentimental and complicated, is the killing of etiquette. "51 ceremonies can regulate people's behavior, under the influence of temperament gifts, people will naturally have corresponding temperaments, corresponding behaviors, such as funerals to stimulate people's mourning, and ceremonies to stimulate people's courage, this phenomenon is temperament induction. Xun Zi said: "The liturgical one, the end is in harmony with the end, and the end is corresponding." "The 52 ritual relies on induction to function, and the movements expressed in the ceremony express certain emotions of the people, and this expression is to stimulate temperament.
Xun Zi believed that natural sounds had a good and evil nature. Xun Zi said: "Whoever makes a sound of adultery touch people and responds against the qi, and the qi is chaotic and chaotic; the right voice is touching and the qi is in response, and the qi is in the image and the life is healed." Singing and responding, good and evil are similar, so the gentleman is careful where he goes. "53 Music is divided into two categories, good and evil, such as Shao Le and Zheng Sheng. This beautiful and harmonious music is full of righteousness or goodness from the sages. Xun Zi said: "The musician, the saint's pleasure, and can be kind to the people's hearts, its touching is deep, and its customs are easy." ...... Yao Ye's rong, Zheng Wei's voice, makes people's hearts obscene; gentry, duan, zhang fu, dancing Shao song wu, make people's hearts zhuang. "54 Different sounds can stimulate different temperaments in a person's body, such as obscene sounds will stimulate the evil qi in people, and eventually chaos. On the contrary, the joy of the sages can stimulate the righteousness in people and thus touch people's good hearts. Touching kindness is heartbeat, and heartbeat is a kind of gasification activity, so that the silent temperament of the heart to obtain vitality or motivation, and then become the positive energy of human survival. Xun Zi said: "The vocal music of the husband is also deep, and its transformation is also fast, so the first king is respectful of it." Lezhongping is peaceful and the people are harmonious but not flowing, and Le Suzhuang is the people's unity and not chaos. 55 Because there is good qi in the sound of music, music can move the good qi in people, and thus change people's temperament, and eventually make people become sages, which is the traditional Confucian music teaching principle.
Induction is temperament induction, and the same temperament can stimulate the temperament of the same kind. In Xunzi's view, people are born not only with evil qi, but also with good qi, and the source of this good temperament is what Xunzi calls "good heart.". "Kindness" is actually a certain virtue, and to move "kindness" is to cultivate goodness and become virtuous, which is similar to Mencius's nature. From this point of view, Xunzi has the concept of virtue, or rather, Xunzi clearly knows that people are not only born with malignancy, but also have goodness or virtue, but Xunzi rarely explicitly mentions virtue. The theory of the virtue of life can only be xunzi's unspoken meaning.
5. Between Meng Xun
Mencius advocated the theory of sexual goodness and Xunzi advocated the theory of sexual evil, and there is almost a world of difference between the two views, which is almost the consensus of the academic community. The theory of sexual goodness and sexual evil are also almost directly opposed in terms of form and content. In fact, Xun Zi, as a latecomer, also directly criticized Mencius's theory of sexual goodness by name: "Now Mencius said: 'The nature of man is good. 'If there is no discernment and conformity, if you sit down, you cannot set it up, and you cannot do it without opening it, but you can't do it! 56 Xunzi explicitly opposed Mencius's theory of sexual goodness and instead put forward his own theory of sexual evil. However, from the perspective of the mechanism of ritual indoctrination, the material of goodness, the good heart, and the temperament of goodness are the indispensable foundations of his theory. Without these good qualities, ordinary people cannot become sages. These good qualities are not fundamentally different from Mencius's mighty qi. Mencius called this kind of good temperament or grandeur breath sex, which is what we often call virtue and goodness. This substance also exists in the Xunzi theoretical system, that is, goodness or virtue is also an indispensable element or link in xunzi's construction of its own theoretical system. Without this nature or virtue, indoctrination or adulthood cannot be achieved. From this point of view, Xunzi thought is not completely divorced from Mencius's thinking, or rather, Xunzi inherited some of Mencius's ideas, such as the good nature is the basis of adulthood.
In fact, Xunzi not only inherited Mencius's theory of human nature, but also developed on its basis. Mencius advocated the theory of sexuality, believing that man is born with goodness or virtue, and that the correct way to survive is to "act with benevolence and righteousness, not by benevolence"57, that is, to go along with nature and dilute man-made efforts. Although the survival method of conformity and natural dilution of human efforts has high theoretical value, it lacks the practical significance of human beings. If a person is really obedient to nature, not only will it be difficult for him to become a sage, but the whole society will also fall into chaos. The natural world of existence is only the living world of nature, not the world of human beings. The focus of human survival is human efforts and active practice, which is the "human" of human beings. Xun Zi pointed out: "Note the wrong custom, so the nature is also; and one is not two, so it is also a product." Customs transfer, anjiu transfer quality. 58 Mencius did not emphasize learning, indoctrination, teaching, etc., and could only rely on the praise of virtue, which is "long nature." It is not enough to rely on sex alone, sex is only one of the conditions, not the whole, it also needs to be "transformed", such as processing, transformation, etc., and eventually become a sage.
Xunzi emphasizes learning and indoctrination, and the mechanism of enlightenment is induction, which uses positive sounds to stimulate the righteous qi ("shunqi") and "touching people's kindness".59 Liturgy can inspire kindness and move kindness. This kind of stimulation, in the final analysis, is to expand people's good temperament and make themselves full of righteousness. Xun Zi pointed out: "A gentleman with a big heart respects the heavens and the Tao, and if he is careful, he fears righteousness and moderation; if he knows, he is clear and classy, and if he is foolish, he is humble and lawless; when he sees the cause, he is respectful and harmonious; when he is happy, he is harmonious, and he is worried, and he is quiet and reasonable; the general rule is clear and clear, and the poor are about detail." "60 Gentlemen expand their nature ("big heart"). That is to say, the ritualization of music solves the problem that Mencius's theory of sexuality has not solved. From this point of view, Xunzi not only inherited Mencius's idea of virtue, but also developed Mencius's theory of virtue.
Therefore, some scholars pointed out: "There is no contradiction and opposition between sexual good and sexual evil between Meng and Xun, and the thousand-year dispute is nothing more than a misunderstanding caused by the 'public affliction of mental magic' (hidden in the "name" and not knowing the "truth"). 61 This conclusion has some legitimacy. In fact, XunZi's above-mentioned induction theory of indoctrination has also become a core part of the traditional Confucian theory of indoctrination. It can be said that Mencius put forward the theory of sexuality, which solved the problem of the source of the righteous path of benevolence, but did not solve the specific method of practice. Mencius could only rely on the negative way of going with the flow. Xun Zi's proactive theory of enlightenment, based on the method of temperament induction, solves the problem of the formation of the path of benevolence and righteousness. The Theory of Xunzi is the inheritance and development of Mencius's theory of virtue, and the logical relationship between Mencius and Xunzi is obvious.
exegesis
1 See [Japanese] Kodama Rokuro, "The Proposal of the Xunzi Sexual Simplicity Theory: Starting from the Discussion on the Distinction Between Sexual hypocrisy and falsity", Journal of the Japanese Chinese Society, No. 26; Lin Guihao, "On the Ideological System and Its Significance of the Xunzi Sexual Simplicity Theory", Modern Philosophy, No. 6, 2012.
2 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 284-285.
3 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 290.
4 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 274.
5 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 289.
6 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 265.
7 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 64.
8 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 289.
9 Zhou Zhaocheng, "Inverse and Shun nature: The Inner Tension of Xunzi's Theory of Human Nature", Confucius Studies, No. 1, 2003.
10 Liang Tao, "Xunzi's Theory of Human Nature: On Xunzi's Sexual Evil and Mental Goodness", Philosophical Research, No. 5, 2015.
11 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 289.
12 Yang Bojun: Commentary on the Translation of the Analects, Zhonghua Bookstore, 2006 edition, p. 204.
13 Yang Bojun: Translation of Mencius, Zhonghua Bookstore, 2008 edition, p. 197.
14 Liao Mingchun, "A Re-Examination of Xunzi's Theory of Human Nature", Journal of Social Sciences of Jilin University, No. 6, 1992.
15 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 103-104.
16 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 206-207.
17 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 269.
18 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 283-284.
19 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 270.
20 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 277-278
21 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 206.
22 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 286.
23 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 50.
24 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 296.
25 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 38.
26 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 38.
27 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 38-39.
28 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 243.
29 Chen Guanglian and Huang Lei, "Xunzi on How Virtue Is Good", Journal of Nanchang University (Humanities and Social Sciences Edition), No. 4, 2018.
30 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 351-352.
31 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 116.
32 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 11-12.
33 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 104.
34 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 274.
35 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 153-154.
36 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 282.
37 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 295.
38 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 299.
39 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 28.
40 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 232.
41 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 36-37.
42 Zeng Zhenyu, "The Beauty of Nature:The Debate on The Human Nature of Xunzi," Chinese Cultural Studies, Spring 2015.
43 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 207.
44 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 105
45 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 108.
46 Kong Yingda: Zhou Yi Zhengyi, Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House, 1997, p. 16.
47 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 28.
48 Zhang Zaiji, Zhonghua Bookstore, 1978 edition, p. 265.
49 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 231.
50 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 241.
51 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 237-238.
52 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 328.
53 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", Zhuzi Integration, 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 254.
54 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 253-254.
55 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 253.
56 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 294.
57 Yang Bojun: Translation of Mencius, Zhonghua Bookstore, 2008 edition, p. 147.
58 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration", 2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 91.
59 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, p. 252.
60 Wang Xianqian: "Xunzi Collection Solution", "Zhuzi Integration"2, Shanghai Bookstore, 1986 edition, pp. 26-27.
61 Lu Debin, "Sexual Goodness and Sexual Evil: The Concealment and Loss of The Thousand-Year Controversy: A Reinterpretation of the Distinction Between Good and Evil in Meng and Xun's Human Nature", Journal of Traditional Chinese Studies, No. 3, 2012.
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