A Study Of Xun Zi's Thoughts On Human Relations

Based on the achievements of the study of Xun Zi, this thesis selects Xun Zi's thoughts on human relations as the object of study. This thesis is centered on three different human relations: the relationship between father and son, the relationship between monarch and subject, the relationship between monarch and people. Competitive study is used in this thesis. This thesis is centred on two problems: one is how Xun Zi changed and inherited Pre-Qin Confucian's thoughts on human relations; the other is illustrating the similarities and differences between Xun Zi and Mo Zi Zhuang Zi Han Fei on the thoughts on human relations.This thesis consists of six parts: five chapters and a conclusion. The first chapter mainly illustrates the general situation of the study of Xun Zi from ancient till now and puts forward the object of study. There are abundant achievements of the study of Xun Zi, especially in doctrine of evil human nature, world outlook and concept of rite. The study of Xun Zi's thoughts on human relations has reached a fairly high level. But the study still has some shortcomings which are the starting point of this thesis. The second chapter makes a comparison between Xun Zi and Confucius Mencius on the thoughts on the relationship between father and son. When treating with the relationship between father and son, Confucius and Mencius both emphasized family love and the principle of voluntariness. But Xun Zi emphasized the function of coercive power. Confucius and Mencius both considered that the blood relationship was more important than the criterion of right and wrong. But Xun Zi considered that the criterion of right and wrong was more important than the blood relationship. Confucius and Mencius both considered that the relationship between father and son was more important than the relationship between monarch and subject. But Xun Zi considered that the relationship between monarch and subject was more important than the relationship between father and son. To counter the former study of Xun Zi's thoughts on the relationship between father and son, this thesis emphasizes that Xun Zi examined the relationship between father and son from the angle of political equitableness. Xun Zi considered that political equitableness was more important than the blood relationship for the sake of intellectuals'political future.The third chapter makes a comparison between Xun Zi and Confucius Mencius on the thoughts on the relationship between monarch and subject. Confucius and Mencius both took an idealistic attitude towards the issue of taking office and considered that intellectuals should only cooperate with ideal monarchs. But Xun Zi took a realistic attitude towards the same issue and suggested that intellectuals might adapt themselves to different strategies to take office according to the categories of the different monarchs. Confucius and Mencius both considered that the relationship between monarch and subject should be reciprocal and emphasized intellectuals'dignity and independence. But Xun Zi didn't think that the relationship between monarch and subject should be reciprocal. He considered that intellectuals should consider the feelings of the monarchs and take a moderate attitude towards the monarchs. This reflects Xun Zi's thoughts on monarch superiority and subject inferiority. Xun Zi imported the political trickery which conflicted with Pre-Qin Confucian's idealism. When Xun Zi changed Confucian's thoughts on the relationship between monarch and subject, he tried to hold the ethics baseline. This chapter discusses the background of Xun Zi. The establishments of the absolute monarchy and bureaucracy and intellectuals'living conditions determined the trend of Xun Zi's thoughts. Xun Zi's realistic attitude toward the problem of taking office shortens the distance between Confucian's ideal and reality, but at the same time leads to the missing of Confucian's idealism. The forth chapter mainly illustrates how Xun Zi inherited and developed Pre-Qin Confucian's thoughts on the relationship between monarch and people. Confucius and Mencius both considered that a monarch should take good care of his people and took people as the foundation. Xun Zi inherited and developed their thoughts. There is a debate on the research of Xun Zi's thoughts on the relationship between monarch and people. Some scholars believed that Xun Zi took people as the foundation. But some scholars believed that Xun Zi took monarch as the foundation. This chapter discusses this argument and the conclusion is that thoughts on taking people as the foundation and thoughts on taking monarch as the foundation both exist in Xun Zi's thoughts. In Xun Zi's opinion, as the majority of the society, people are ignorant and have no regard for morality. So they have no ability to enter politics. When creating the theory of the relationship between monarch and people, in order to prove the political legitimacy of the monarchy, Xun Zi considered a monarch should rule for the sake of his people. This reflects Xun Zi's thoughts on taking people as the foundation. At the same time, when talking of the rule of monarch, Xun Zi knocked off people and considered monarch should play the leading role in politics. This reflects Xun Zi's thoughts on taking monarch as the foundation. In Xun Zi's ideological system, thoughts on taking people as the foundation and thoughts on taking monarch as the foundation are compossible. This may provide an interpretation of the debate on the research of Xun Zi's thoughts on the relationship between monarch and people. The fifth chapter makes a comparison between Xun Zi and Mo Zi Zhuang Zi Han Fei on the thoughts on human relations. Mo Zi and Xun Zi both placed emphasis on filial piety, but Mo Zi insisted universal love and suggested that a man should love other's father as he loves his father. Xun Zi suggested that a man should love his father more than he loves other's father. Mo Zi insisted on simple burial, but Xun Zi insisted on lavish burial. Mo Zi suggested that intellectuals should only cooperate with ideal monarchs, but Xun Zi suggested that intellectuals should cooperate with any monarch. Mo Zi and Xun Zi both suggested that a monarch should appoint people on their merit and a subject should consider the feelings of his monarch. Mo Zi and Xun Zi both took people as the foundation. Zhuang Zi and Xun Zi both suggested that a man should treat his parents kindly. But Zhuang Zi believed that civilizations were harmful to a good relationship between father and son, but Xun Zi believed that civilizations were necessary to a good relationship between father and son. Zhuang Zi believed that human nature was unsophisticated and a man could become a filial son without the enlightenment of the rite, but Xun Zi believed that human nature was evil and the enlightenment of the rite was necessary to a man who wanted to become a filial son. Zhuang Zi believed that there was no way to change the reality and suggested intellectuals should keep away from politics and the monarchs. But Xun Zi believed that there was a way to change the reality and suggested intellectuals should take part in politics and cooperate with the monarchs. Zhuang Zi and Xun Zi both suggested a monarch should take good care of his people. Zhuang Zi believed that an ideal relationship between monarch and people only existed in primitive society, but Xun Zi believed that an ideal relationship between monarch and people only existed in civil society. Xun Zi and Han Fei both suggested a son should treat his parents kindly and a subject should be loyal to his monarch. In Xun Zi's opinion, though human nature was evil people could change the nature, so morality was very useful. But Han Fei believed that people could not change the fact that people enjoyed benefits, so morality was useless and benefit was the only useful factor. Xun Zi and Han Fei both suggested a monarch should rule for the sake of his people. Xun Zi considered that a monarch should use rite and law to rule his people and the law was subsidiary. But Han Fei considered that a monarch should only use law to rule his people. There is a concise review of the thesis in the conclusion.The social reality of Warring States Period is Xun Zi's thoughts'background. Xun Zi critically assimilated the thoughts of the various schools and created his thoughts on human relations with unique characteristics.