Xunzi Translation and Notes

Author: Gao Changshan
Translator's Note:
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2003-01-01
Features: The Xunzi is an anthology of the sayings of Xunzi, a prominent figure in Confucianism. However, his ideas differ greatly from those of Mencius. Xunzi advocated for the theory of innate evil, contrasting with Mencius' theory of innate goodness. He believed that human nature is inherently evil, making it impossible for sages to be born naturally. The goodness of human nature, he argued, is a result of post-natal education. Influenced by Laozi's thought, Xunzi held that Heaven has no will; it is merely the natural world that nourishes all things and cannot determine human fortune or misfortune. Therefore, he proposed that people should conform to nature, but they can also change it—the idea of "governing Heaven's decree" or humanity triumphing over nature. Xunzi emphasized both ritual (li) and law (fa), marking an important development in Confucian thought. His two students, Li Si and Han Feizi, later became prominent figures in the Legalist school. He believed that ritual plays a significant role in regulating interpersonal relationships. He advocated for Confucian "benevolent governance" (wangdao),，, emphasizing that people should be won over with virtue rather than coerced by force. The specific content of benevolent governance involves ritual, propriety, and benevolent rule. Inheriting the Confucian tradition of "governing with virtue," he believed that ruling should entail "fair governance and loving the people." He also drew an analogy between the ruler and a boat, and the people and water—"Water can carry a boat, but water can also capsize it," meaning to remind rulers that excessive taxation and violence would lead to the downfall of their regime. While advocating for the use of ritual and moral education to govern, Xunzi also supported the use of punishments to suppress dissent. Because some of his ideas diverged from traditional Confucianism, he faced criticism from later scholars, especially from the Neo-Confucian scholars of the Song Dynasty, who represented the Cheng-Zhu tradition. In the late Qing Dynasty, figures like Liang Qichao once again affirmed Xunzi's important place in the history of ancient Chinese thought. The Xunzi was compiled by Liu Xiang during the Western Han Dynasty and consists of thirty-two chapters. Many Qing Dynasty scholars wrote commentaries on it, and Wang Xianqian, in the late Qing Dynasty, compiled these into the Collected Explanations of the Xunzi, which is considered the best commentary available. In the modern era, Liang Qixiong wrote the Brief Explanations of the Xunzi, which is also concise and easy to understand. The explanations and translations in this book draw on the research of many past and contemporary scholars, aiming to be both profound and accessible while being comprehensive and accurate.