Xun Zi Quotes & Sayings

I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study. — Xun Zi

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. — Xun Zi

Whether the gentleman is capable or not, he is loved all the same; conversely the petty man is loathed all the same. — Xun Zi

If the quickness of the mind and the fluency of the tongue are too punctilious and sharp, moderate them in your activity and rest. — Xun Zi

Sacrifices are concerned with the feelings of devotion and longing. — Xun Zi

Those whose character is mean and vicious will rouse others to animosity against them. — Xun Zi

A person is born with a liking for profit. — Xun Zi

Human nature refers to what is in people but which they cannot study or work at achieving. — Xun Zi

If the impulse to daring and bravery is too fierce and violent, stay it with guidance and instruction. — Xun Zi

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? — Xun Zi

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. — Xun Zi

When you locate good in yourself, approve of it with determination. When you locate evil in yourself, despise it as something detestable. — Xun Zi

If the blood humor is too strong and robust, calm it with balance and harmony. — Xun Zi

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

Music is a fantastic peacekeeper of the world, it is integral to harmony, and it is a required fundamental of human emotion. — Xun Zi

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. — 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

If knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity. — Xun Zi

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. — Xun Zi

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. — Xun Zi

Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that. — Xun Zi

Pride and excess bring disaster for man. — Xun Zi

The coming of honor or disgrace must be a reflection of one's inner power. — Xun Zi

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. — Xun Zi

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. — Xun Zi

When people lack teachers, their tendencies are not corrected; when they do not have ritual and moral principles, then their lawlessness is not controlled. — Xun Zi

Human nature is what Heaven supplies. — Xun Zi

The petty man is eager to make boasts, yet desires that others should believe in him. He enthusiastically engages in deception, yet wants others to have affection for him. He conducts himself like an animal, yet wants others to think well of him. — Xun Zi

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. — Xun Zi

There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men. — Xun Zi

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. — Xun Zi

When you concentrate on agriculture and industry and are frugal in expenditures, Heaven cannot impoverish your state. — Xun Zi

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

A person is born with desires of the eyes and ears, and a liking for beautiful sights and sounds. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to immorality and lack of restriction, and any ritual principles and propriety will be abandoned. — Xun Zi

In antiquity the sage kings recognized that men's nature is bad and that their tendencies were not being corrected and their lawlessness controlled. — Xun Zi

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. — Xun Zi

The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound. — Xun Zi

If the gentleman has ability, he is magnanimous, generous, tolerant, and straightforward, through which he opens the way to instruct others. — Xun Zi