Lecture 4: Xunzi Flashcards
What was Xunzi’s role in the Jixia Academy of Qi State?
Xunzi (Hsün Tzu 荀子298-238BC) was a master Confucian thinker in the Jixia Academy 稷下學宮 (374-221BC), where a “hundred schools competed for voicing themselves (百家爭鳴).” Xunzi was the last greatest master of the Academy before its disintegration. Responding to the need of the state and social reform, he took into account human desire, its control and transformation by li and fa. In developing Confucianism’s efficiency for governance, he absorbed ideas from Daoism and Legalism, redefining them from Confucian view. Xunzi was still Confucian, but called for more integration and was more realistic in his ideas.
What do discernment (bian) and argumentation (bianshuo) mean for Xunzi?
In Jixia academy, where different schools debate among themselves, Xunzi proposes several criteria for argumentation, supported by his logical and epistemological theory. He emphasizes human being’s ability to discern right from wrong: human ability of “discernment” (bian 辨). When expressed by discourse, this ability is displayed by “argumentation” (bianshuo 辨說), which follows certain criteria or standards with good attitude. Argumentation is concerned not only with rational criteria but subjective criteria as well. Our ability to be right or wrong is important to being human.
What do Dao (the Way), lei (class), tong (unity, coherence), and fen (division, distinction) mean for Xunzi?
Xunzi’s concept of dao 道 (the Way) represents the ultimate logical criterion for judging right or wrong. Dao included “lei 類 (kind, class), tong 統 (unity, coherence), and fen 分 (division, distinction) as sub-criteria or sub-standards.
What do “great pure and enlightened mind” (da qingming) and “empty, united, and still” (xu-i-er-jing) mean to Xunzi?
In order to discern right from wrong, one has to keep one’s mind in a “greatly pure and enlightened” state (da qingming 大清明), attained by making one’s mind “empty, unified and still” (xu-yi-er-jing 虛一而靜), with Huanglao Daoist influence.
- “Human is born with a capacity of knowing, and where there is such a capacity there is memory. Memory is what is stored up in the mind. Yet the mind may be said to be empty when what has been stored in it does not hinder the reception of new impressions; this is what is meant by “emptiness” …Where there is knowing, there is awareness of differences between things. With such an awareness, one can know the diversity of things at the same time…, yet the mind may be said to be unified. When it does not allow the knowing of one thing to hinder the knowing of another, this is what is meant by “unity.” When the mind is asleep, it produces dreams; when it is unoccupied, it wanders off in idle fancy; and if allowed to do so, it will produce from these all manners of plots and schemes. Hence the mind is constantly working yet it may be said to be still. Not allowing dreams and noisy fancies to disorder one’s capacity for knowing is what is meant by “stillness.” (Ch. 21, Jiebi)”
What do generic names (gongming) and specific names (bieming) mean for Xunzi?
As to a concept’s extension, Xunzi makes distinction between general names (gongming共名), such as “man”, and particular names (bieming別名), such as “Confucius”, to be analyzed by the relations of “inclusion” or “belonging” between classes and sub-classes. Extension is referencing the outside world. On the other hand, intention relates to meaning or content, the concept contained in the object. As to a concept’s intention, Xunzi distinguishes “names discerning superiority/inferiority” (貴賤之名) from “names discerning identity/difference” (同異之名), representing respectively concepts indicating values, and concepts indicating fact, the former being higher than the latter.
What are the criteria Xunzi proposes for argumentation?
“Those who are good at discussing ancient matters must support their claim by an appeal to matters concerning the present. Those who are good at discussing the natural world must support their claims with evidences from the world of humans. In any discussion, the important things are discrimination, concordance and evidence. One can then sit down and talk, rise up and articulate the plan and exhibit it in practice.” (Xing E, SB, p.132)
Explain Xunzi’s theory of human nature.
“The nature of Man is evil. His goodness is the result of culture. Now, man’s inborn nature is to 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 desire of ears and eyes and like sound and beauty. If these tendencies are followed, lewdness and licentiousness result, and the pattern and order of propriety and righteousness disappear. Therefore, to follow man’s nature and his feelings will inevitably result in strife and rapacity, combined 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.” (Xing Er, SB p.128)
- However, the idea that human nature is evil is a bad impression first impression of Xunzi. If you read into the context, what does Xunzi actually mean by ‘evil’ or ‘human nature’? What he wants to emphasize is the goodness brought on by human nature, or ‘culture’ since culture is human-made. In Mencius, Mencius says that feelings are what’s good, and emphasized humankind’s emotions. Here, Xunzi is emphasizing the human quality of desire as a part of human nature. Evil, to Xunzi, is social disorder. Evil is not ‘darkness in one’s soul’ or sin. Disciplinary society is what is good. Thus, in this context, evil is strife and rebellion, and it is the tendency of human nature to cause disorder and violence against one another in striving towards satisfying their own desires.
Is Xunzi’s theory of human nature in contradiction with that of Mencius? Why?
Mencius and Xunzi, in their theories of human nature (Mencius thinking that it’s good and Xunzi thinking that it’s bad), could be seen not only as non-contradictory (if we do not only take them at face value), but also as complementary. On conceptual level, the term “human nature” (xing 性) is used identically in name but different in reference. They do not contain any conceptual contradiction as well, since the terms they are using denote two difference concepts. If they were contradictory, the two should be talking about the same concept. Not only are they non-contradictory, they are also complementary. Like how Xunzi emphasizes culture, Mencius also agrees that the a priori goodness of human nature needs favorable culture and institutions to realize. Xunzi’s emphasis on education and civilization also presupposes some sort of good ability in human nature, which can be developed. Mencius’ goodness of human nature is encouraging for those frustrated and self-abandoned, whereas Xunzi’s human nature as evil is calming, clarifying and awakening for a self-complacent person to rise from his laziness to grow up by self-cultivation.
Explain Xunzi’s idea of Heaven.
Historically, from the Book of Odes and the Book of Documents till Confucius, shangdi 上帝 (High God) or tian 天 (Heaven) represents the Ultimate God in polytheistic context; in Mencius it represents the ultimate principle of Morality one could attain by fully unfolding one’s mind/heart and understanding one’s nature. In Xunzi, tian 天(Heaven) represents the natural Heaven or laws of nature. This was under the influence of Daoism. For Confucians, Heaven and Earth were the sum of natural phenomenon. The regularity of nature is emphasized without referring to the good or evil of human subjectivity, whether or not there is a good or a bad king. However, human beings’ effort to follow the laws of nature is seen by Xunzi as more important than those laws in themselves.
Explain what Xunzi means by “realizing the distinctive function of Heaven and man.”
Explain the relation between li and fa according to Xunzi.
Xunzi combines governance by li and that by fa (法) and takes li as foundation, and fa as derived from li, assisting li in its realization. There are two levels of fa. On the one hand you have laws of nature, on the other you have man-made laws that are propagated by kings. Xunzi presumes that from li can be derived fa, which either gives support to the realization of li or renders remedy to the insufficiency of li. Thus, li is essential to fa. Xunzi is not against the law. Confucius said that emphasis should be on virtues and rites. Mencius also focused on laws and rituals. However, Xunzi is trying to create more realistic political ideas. You can have rituals, and from those rituals you get law.
- “Therefore the sage transformed man’s nature and arouse him to culture. As culture was aroused, propriety and righteousness were produced, and as propriety and righteousness were produced, law and systems were instituted. This being the case, propriety, righteousness, laws and systems were all products of the sage.” (SB,130)
- Distinctive Function of Li and Fa: “The most important distinction in attending politics in this: He who comes with goodness is to be treated with li; he who comes with evil is to be treated with legal punishment. If these two were distinguished, the worthy and unworthy will be distinguished and the right and wrong not be confused. If the worthy and unworthy were distinguished, then elite and hero could emerge; if right and wrong were not confused, then the state would be well governed.” (Ch. 9, Wangzhi)
What is Fung Yu-lan’s account of Xunzi’s theory of li?
In order to have social organization, people need rules of conduct, which are the li (rites, ceremonies, customary rules of living). Xunzi believes that li arises because people have desires. When these desires aren’t satisfied, people will go to great lengths to do so, leading to contention. With contention comes disorder. The early kings hated disorder, and thus established li (rules of conduct) to end any confusion. The li set a limit on everyone’s will to satisfy their own desires. Thus, where there are the li, there is morality.
Explain Dong Zhongshu’s philosophical ideas and his role in Han Confucianism.
Dong Zhongshu (董仲舒c179-c104BC) is responsible for making Confucianism the state ideology of Han. For him, Heaven is nature, but, to counter-balance the Emperor’s power, he recognizes the Mandate of Heaven. The law of nature is constituted by ying/yang and five phases (as opposed to the five elements: gold, wood, fire, water, and earth) to form an organic whole in which everything is well connected to one another and the same class of things feels and responds to the same. The move from five elements to five phases is also to symbolize the transition from one phase in time to another. There is exact correspondence between Man and Nature. For him, human nature is factual/empirical, not transcendental. History is determined by the dynamic change of the five phases. (SB, 271-288)
Wang Chong (王充27-100AD) continues naturalistic Confucianism. His criticism of all superstitions of his time, including Confucian, Daoist and popular, shows us a rationalistic attitude. (SB 292-304)Explain Wang Chong’s philosophical ideas and his role in Han philosophy.
Wang Chong (王充 27-100 A.D.) continues naturalistic Confucianism. His criticism of all superstitions of his time, including Confucian, Daoist and popular, shows us a rationalistic attitude. (SB 292-304)
