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The nature of man is evil what is good in him is artificial.
Xunzi
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Xunzi
Evil
Nature
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Artificial
More quotes by 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
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
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
Whether the gentleman is capable or not, he is loved all the same conversely the petty man is loathed all the same.
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
Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.
Xunzi
They are done merely for ornament. ... the common people regard them as supernatural.
Xunzi
When you concentrate on agriculture and industry and are frugal in expenditures, Heaven cannot impoverish your state.
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
There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men.
Xunzi
If the blood humor is too strong and robust, calm it with balance and harmony.
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
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
You look upon the seasons with expectation and await them: wy not seize the seasonal opportunities and exploit them?
Xunzi
The rigid cause themselves to be broken the pliable cause themselves to be bound.
Xunzi
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
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
Pride and excess bring disaster for man.
Xunzi
Those whose character is mean and vicious will rouse others to animosity against them.
Xunzi
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
