Share
×
Inspirational Quotes
Authors
Professions
Topics
Tags
Quote
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
Share
Change background
T
T
T
Change font
Original
TAGS & TOPICS
Xunzi
Nature
Lawlessness
Men
Corrected
Antiquity
Sage
Recognized
Controlled
Tendencies
Kings
More quotes by Xunzi
Sacrifices are concerned with the feelings of devotion and longing.
Xunzi
I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study.
Xunzi
The coming of honor or disgrace must be a reflection of one's inner power.
Xunzi
Quarreling over food and drink, having neither scruples nor shame, not knowing right from wrong, not trying to avoid death or injury, not fearful of greater strength or of greater numbers, greedily aware only of food and drink - such is the bravery of the dog and boar.
Xunzi
A person is born with feelings of envy and hate. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to violence and crime, and any sense of loyalty and good faith will be abandoned.
Xunzi
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
The nature of man is evil what is good in him is artificial.
Xunzi
Since the nature of people is bad, to become corrected they must be taught by teachers and to be orderly they must acquire ritual and moral principles.
Xunzi
Music is a fantastic peacekeeper of the world, it is integral to harmony, and it is a required fundamental of human emotion.
Xunzi
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
Xunzi
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
Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.
Xunzi
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
Human nature refers to what is in people but which they cannot study or work at achieving.
Xunzi
The drum is surely the lord of music, is it not?
Xunzi
Pride and excess bring disaster for man.
Xunzi
There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men.
Xunzi
They are done merely for ornament. ... the common people regard them as supernatural.
Xunzi
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
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