Xunzi

Xunzi (Chinese荀子, Pinyin Xúnzǐ, Junshi jap, kor Sunja * about 298 BC, . † about 220 BC), also Hsun- Tse or, in Wade- Giles romanization, Hsun- Tzu, was a Chinese philosopher in the late period of the Warring States Period. His teachings are attributed to Confucianism. At the same time Xunzi is also the name of his work.

Life

Over the life of the Xunzi, there are several conflicting information, this also applies to his birth and death years. It can, however, probably say something like this:

Xunzi was born as the son of an old family of Jin (晋, Jin ) in Zhao (赵Zhao ), one of the three states after the partition of Jin. The main town of Jin is now Handan (邯郸, Handan ) in the province of Hebei (河北, Hebei ). To 248 he received in Qi (齐, qi) the post of Jijiu (祭酒, Jijiu ), which is a big official who is responsible for education. However, he fell through a defamation of favor and became governor of Lanling 238 (兰陵, Lanling ), today's Zaozhuang (枣庄, Zaozhuang ), where his grave is.

Work

The Confucian teachings of Xunzi had next to Daoism and Buddhism decisive influence on the government in the Han Dynasty (汉Han ). Thus, the introduction of a fixed canon books is due as required reading on Xunzi.

Interestingly, the popularity of Xunzi always acted contrary to that of the Mengzi (孟子, Mèngzǐ, Latinized Mencius ). So was popular after the Han Dynasty Mencius, during the end of the 19th century the star of Xunzi by his rationalism rose at the expense of Mencius.

Work

The writings of Xunzi were at a later time under the title of Xunzi in 32 chapters (编, BIAN ) in 20 volumes (巻, juǎn ) summarized. It is indisputable that the most part of Xunzi itself dates and only little was added by students. While older philosophers wrote their works in dialogue form, most of the chapters of Xunzi are in the form of an article, without a dialogue partner, wrote.

Teaching

Man is inherently evil

The best known is certainly that Xunzi unlike Mencius, who taught that man is inherently good (性善, Xingshan ) was, took the view that man is by nature evil (性恶, xìng'ě ). However, this contrast is not as great as it seems at first glance, since both Mencius and Xunzi argued that learning (学xue ) was necessary to bring out the virtues in a person predisposed or evil in itself to contact people for the virtuous. Naturally, the emphasis is more on Mencius humanity and right action (仁义, Renyi ), while Xunzi, who does not trust human nature, rather morality and right action (礼义, lǐyì ) stresses.

Considering that it comes despite the evil nature of man can not always be arbitrary, unrest and destruction, Xunzi has two explanations: one hand, people targeted because of it for the good, because they are inherently bad and this empfänden as deficiency ( XVII, 4v ). On the other hand, according to his teachings in the long run only one virtuous rule in hand, while a rule that targets only greed, finally, to their own folly perish, so that ultimately the virtuous rule will prevail.

The sky

Contrary to the traditional view that the sky (天, tian ) consciously react as ruler of the world on people's deeds and punish bad behavior or a warning in the form of a natural phenomenon ( eclipse etc. ) give, teaches Xunzi that the sky is acting according to fixed rules nature is: " heaven has fixed rules the earth (地, dì ) fixed rules." (XI, 14v ) Thus his teachings can be compared with rationalism.

More than other Confucian Xunzi advocated the design of nature for the benefit of man. But it would be wrong, to be regarded as ruthless exploitation of nature within the meaning of Xunzi, as it also propagates the action in accordance with the (annual ) times, of which perhaps is a sustainable action is to be understood.

The study

Like other Chinese philosopher Xunzi distinguishes between the commons (小人, xiǎorén ), the nobles (君子, jūnzǐ ) and the Saints (圣人, shengren ). After his apprenticeship, each person is born as a common, but can through education by a teacher who has to start with the study of the classics of the saints, among which the ancient emperors and Confucius are to understand - but not by his own reflection, because the Human Nature is ultimately evil - to be noble.

This really is only the Holy as a teacher of morality and right action in the formation admirable analogies creatively active, while the Noble merely reflects the teachings of the saints, but this is sufficient as knowledge.

Student

His pupils Li Si (李斯, lǐ Si) and Han Fei (韩非, Han Fei ) founded the school of legalism (法家, fǎ JIA ).

Translations

• Hermann Köster ( translator's ): Hsun- tzu. Divine Word Publishing, 1967 Kaldenkirchen
• Homer Dubs ( translator's ): The Works of Hsüntze. Arthur Probsthain, London 1927
• John Knoblock ( translator's ): Xunzi. A Translation and Study of the Complete Works. 3 vols Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA 1988-1994
• Burton Watson ( translator's ): Xunzi. Basic Writings. Columbia University Press, New York 2003, ISBN 978-0-231-12965-7