black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

They are done merely for ornament. … the common people regard them as supernatural.

Xunzi

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
Thus, anybody who follows this nature and gives way its states will be led into quarrels and conflicts, and go against the conventions and rules of society, and will end up a criminal.
XUNZI

Anybody Conflicts Convention Follow Give led Nature Quarrel Rule Society State
If the impulse to daring and bravery is too fierce and violent, stay it with guidance and instruction.
XUNZI

Bravery Daring Fierce Guidance Impulsive Instruction Stay Violent
Pride and excess bring disaster for man.
XUNZI

Bring Disaster Excess Man Pride
Sacrifices are concerned with the feelings of devotion and longing.
XUNZI

Concern Devotion Feel Longing Sacrifice
Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that.
XUNZI

Disagree Good Human Nature Mencius
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
When you concentrate on agriculture and industry and are frugal in expenditures, Heaven cannot impoverish your state.
XUNZI

Activity Agriculture Concentrate Frugal Industry Moderate Rest Sharp
Man’s nature is evil; goodness is the result of conscious activity.
XUNZI

Activity Conscious Goodness Man Nature Result
Human nature is such that people are born with a love of profit If they follow these inclinations, they will struggle and snatch from each other, and inclinations to defer or yield will die.
XUNZI

Born Each Other Human Inclination Nature Ove People Profit Snatch Struggle
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
Thus, that one can find no place to walk through the breadth of the earth is not because the earth is not tranquil but because the danger to every step of the traveler lies generally with words.
XUNZI

Breath Danger Earth Place Step Transit
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
The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound.
XUNZI

Bound Broken Cause Pilable Right Themselves
In antiquity the sage kings recognized that men’s nature is bad and that their tendencies were not being corrected and their lawlessness controlled.
XUNZI

Antiquity Bad Control Correct Lawlessness Nature Sagem Recognize Tendency
You look upon the seasons with expectation and await them: wy not seize the seasonal opportunities and exploit them?
XUNZI

Expectation Look Opportunity Season Seasonal Seize Upon

They are done merely for ornament. … the common people regard them as supernatural.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

They are done merely for ornament. … the common people regard them as supernatural.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Xunzi Quotes