The original text is from Xunzi written by Xun Kuang during the Warring States Period.
Today's human nature is naturally good and obedient, so it is a struggle for life and resignation; Born with disease and evil, follow it, so thieves are born with loyalty to death; It is appropriate to have a natural desire for eyes and ears and a good sense of sound and sound, so fornication is naturally polite and righteous. But from the perspective of human nature, obeying people's feelings will be divorced from competition, suitable for committing chaos and returning to violence. Therefore, there must be a way to learn the law, be polite and righteous, and then make a speech, combine arts and sciences, and return to politics. From this perspective, human nature is evil and good is false.
It is human nature to covet self-interest from birth. According to this nature, there will be competition between people, and modesty will no longer be emphasized. People are born with jealousy and hatred. According to this nature, things that hurt loyalty will happen, and loyalty will be lost. People are born with a sensual instinct, like to listen to good music, like to watch. Following this nature, promiscuity will occur, and the etiquette system and moral norms will be lost.
In this case, if we indulge people's nature and follow people's lust, there will be competition, which will violate the rank birthright and disrupt the etiquette system, thus causing riots; Therefore, it is necessary to establish a normal order in line with the hierarchical system and achieve social stability through the education of teachers and the legal system and the guidance of etiquette and righteousness. Therefore, it is obvious that human nature is evil, and those good behaviors are man-made.
Extended data
Notes on the title or background of a book.
This paper mainly expounds the basic viewpoint of Xunzi's theory, that is, human nature is evil. In this passage, Xunzi first proposed that human nature is evil, while goodness is man-made. People are greedy, sick and lustful from birth. Indulging in these natures will bring bad consequences. Only by learning law, propriety and righteousness can we correct and restrain human nature, so ancient sages "take propriety and righteousness as the beginning and law as the law" to guide people's affection.
Xunzi developed Confucianism. On the issue of human nature, he advocated the theory of evil nature, advocated that human nature was evil, denied the innate moral concept, and emphasized the influence of acquired environment and education on people. His theory is often compared with Mencius' theory of good nature by later generations, and Xunzi has also made considerable contributions to sorting out Confucian classics.