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The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound.

Xunzi

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
XUNZI

Forget Involve Remember Teach Tell
Now it is human nature to want to eat to ones fill when hungry, to want to warm up when cold, to want to rest when tired. These all are a part of people’s emotional nature.
XUNZI

Cold Fill Human Nature Hungry Now One Rest Tired Wantmwam
The drum is surely the lord of music, is it not?
XUNZI

Drum Feel Lord Music Surely
If what the heart approves conforms to proper patterns, then even if one’s desires are many, what harm would they be to good order?
XUNZI

Approve Conform Desire Even Good Heat Many Order Pattern Proper
If knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity.
XUNZI

Deep Ease Foresight Knowledge Penetrate Sincerity
Man’s nature is evil; goodness is the result of conscious activity.
XUNZI

Activity Conscious Goodness Man Nature Result
The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere.
XUNZI

Attempt Erson Get Nowhere Once Road Travel
There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men.
XUNZI

Caution Men Merely Petty Public Scholar Spirit Successful Upright
Men of all social stations live together: they are equal in their desires, yet vary in their methods; they are equal in their passions, yet different in their intelligence; that is their nature-given vitality.
XUNZI

Desire Different Equal Intelligence Men Method Pasion Social Station Together Vary
Whether the gentleman is capable or not, he is loved all the same; conversely the petty man is loathed all the same.
XUNZI

Capable Conversely Gentlemen Love Petty Same
The noble person uses things; the lesser man is used by things.
XUNZI

Lesser Man Nobel Person Thing Use
I once tried standing up on my toes to see far out in the distance, but I found that I could see much farther by climbing to a high place.
XUNZI

Climb Could Far Farther Found High Once Out Place See Stand Toe Tries
Human nature is what Heaven supplies.
XUNZI

Heaven Human Nature Supply
Misery is evil; quarreling, a misfortune. There is only one possibility of avoiding both: a clear division of society. [Otherwise] the strong tyrannize the weak, the intelligent frighten the stupid, the inferior resist the superior, and the young mock the old.
XUNZI

Evil Misery Misfortune Quarrel
Therefore, a person should first be changed by a teacher’s instructions, and guided by principles of ritual. Only then can he observe the rules of courtesy and humility, obey the conventions and rules of society, and achieve order.
XUNZI

Change Gude Instruction Person Ritual Teacher
The petty man is eager to make boasts, yet desires that others should believe in him. He enthusiastically engages in deception, yet wants others to have affection for him. He conducts himself like an animal, yet wants others to think well of him.
XUNZI

Believe Boast Desire Eager Make Man Other Pretty Should

The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound.

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The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound.

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