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

Xunzi

Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.
XUNZI

Cause Goodness Human Intentional Moment Nature Study
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
I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study.
XUNZI

Day Entire Found Less Moment Once Study Think Valuable
When people lack teachers, their tendencies are not corrected; when they do not have ritual and moral principles, then their lawlessness is not controlled.
XUNZI

Control Correct Lack Lawlessness More People Ritual Teacher Tendency
Pride and excess bring disaster for man.
XUNZI

Bring Disaster Excess Man Pride
If there is no dull and determined effort, there will be no brilliant achievement.
XUNZI

Achievement Brillant Determine Dull Effort
They are done merely for ornament. … the common people regard them as supernatural.
XUNZI

Common Done Merely Ornament People Regard Supernatural
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
Not having heard something is not as good as having heard it; having heard it is not as good as having seen it; having seen it is not as good as knowing it; knowing it is not as good as putting it into practice.
XUNZI

Good Have Having Heard Seen Something
Those whose character is mean and vicious will rouse others to animosity against them.
XUNZI

Against Animosity Character Mean Rouse Vicious
When a man sees something desirable, he must reflect on the fact that with time it could come to involve what is detestable. When he sees something that is beneficial, he should reflect that sooner or later it, too, could come to involve harm.
XUNZI

Come Desirable Detestable Involve Man Reflect See Something Time
If the gentleman has ability, he is magnanimous, generous, tolerant, and straightforward, through which he opens the way to instruct others.
XUNZI

Ability Generous Gentlemen Instruct Open Other Straightforward Toearnt Way
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
Human nature refers to what is in people but which they cannot study or work at achieving.
XUNZI

Achieve Human Nature People Refer Study Work
The nature of man is evil; what is good in him is artificial.
XUNZI

Artificial Good Man Nature
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

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

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

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Popular Authors

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