Xun Zi Quotes

12 Sourced Quotes

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

Xun Zi
A questioner asks: If human nature is evil, then where do ritual and rightness come from? I reply: ritual and rightness are always created by the conscious activity of the sages.

Xun Zi
A person who is shallow aspires to depth; one who is ugly aspires to beauty; one who is narrow aspires to breadth; one who is poor aspires to wealth; one who is humble aspires to esteem. Whatever one lacks in oneself he must seek outside.

Xun Zi
The gentleman knows that whatever is imperfect and unrefined does not deserve praise.... He makes his eyes not want to see what is not right, makes his ears not want to hear what is not right, makes his mouth not want to speak what is not right, and makes his heart not want to deliberate over what is not right.... For this reason, power and profit cannot sway him, the masses cannot shift him, and nothing in the world can shake him.

Xun Zi
A person who is transformed by the instructions of a teacher, devotes himself to study, and abides by ritual and rightness may become a noble person, while one who follows his nature and emotions, is content to give free play to his passions, and abandons ritual and rightness is a lesser person.

Xun Zi
The straightening board was created because of warped wood, and the plumb line came into being because of things that are not straight. Rulers are established and ritual and rightness are illuminated because the nature is evil.

Xun Zi
Learning proceeds until death and only then does it stop.... Its purpose cannot be given up for even a moment. To pursue it is to be human, to give it up to be a beast.

Xun Zi
If an action... involves little profit but much righteousness, do it.

Xun Zi
The learning of the gentleman enters through his ears, fastens to his heart, spreads through his four limbs, and manifests itself in his actions.... The learning of the petty person enters through his ears and passes out his mouth. From mouth to ears is only four inches—how could it be enough to improve a whole body much larger than that?

Xun Zi
One whose intentions and thoughts are cultivated will disregard wealth and nobility. One whose greatest concern is for the Way and righteousness will take lightly kings and dukes. It is simply that when one examines oneself on the inside, external goods carry little weight. A saying goes, "The gentleman makes things his servants. The petty man is servant to things."

Xun Zi
In order to properly understand the big picture, everyone should fear becoming mentally clouded and obsessed with one small section of truth.

Xun Zi
The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere.

Xun Zi