Xun Kuang - Wikipedia Xun Kuang From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search This article is about the Chinese philosopher. For his work, see Xunzi (book). Xun Kuang 荀況 Portrait of Xunzi Born c. 310 BC State of Zhao Died c. 235 BC (aged 74–75) State of Chu Occupation Confucian philosopher, writer Opponent(s) Mencius, Zisi Xun Kuang Chinese 荀況 Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xún Kuàng Gwoyeu Romatzyh Shyun Kuanq Wade–Giles Hsün2 K'uang4 IPA [ɕy̌n kʰwâŋ] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Sèuhn Fong Jyutping Seon4 Fong3 IPA [sɵ̏n fɔ̄ːŋ] Southern Min Tâi-lô Sûn Hóng Middle Chinese Middle Chinese Zwin Xüàng Old Chinese Baxter–Sagart (2014) *s-N-qʷin [m̥]ang-s Alternative Chinese name Traditional Chinese 荀子 Simplified Chinese 荀子 Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xúnzǐ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Shyuntzyy Wade–Giles Hsun2 Tzu3 Part of a series on Confucianism Early history Spring and Autumn period Confucius Warring States period Mencius Xunzi Western Han Dong Zhongshu Gongsun Hong Fundamental concepts Tian Ren Yi Li Xiao Zhong Schools Neo-Confucianism New Confucianism Taigu school Hermeneutic schools: Old Texts New Text Confucianism Confucianism by country Confucianism in Indonesia Confucianism in the United States Korean Confucianism Japanese Confucianism Confucian texts Ruzang Four Books: Analects Doctrine of the Mean Great Learning Mencius Five Classics: Classic of Poetry Book of Documents Book of Rites Yijing Spring and Autumn Annals Other: Interactions Between Heaven and Mankind Organization Confucian ritual religion Temple of Confucius Confucian churches and sects: Holy Confucian Church Indonesian Confucian Church Universal Church of the Way and its Virtue Phoenix churches Xuanyuanism Shengdao v t e Xun Kuang (Chinese: 荀況; pinyin: Xún Kuàng [ɕy̌n kʰwâŋ]; c. 310 – c. 235 BC, alt. c. 314 – c. 217 BC),[1] also widely known as Xunzi (Chinese: 荀子; pinyin: Xúnzǐ; Wade–Giles: Hsün-tzu, "Master Xun"), was a Chinese Confucian philosopher and writer who lived during the Warring States period and contributed to the Hundred Schools of Thought. A book known as the Xunzi is traditionally attributed to him. His works survive in an excellent condition, and were a major influence in forming the official state doctrines of the Han dynasty,[2] but his influence waned during the Tang dynasty relative to that of Mencius.[3] Xunzi discusses figures ranging from Confucius, Mencius, and Zhuangzi, to Linguists Mozi, Hui Shi and Gongsun Long and "Legalists" Shen Buhai and Shen Dao.[4] He mentions Laozi as a figure for the first time in early Chinese history,[5] and makes use of Taoist terminology, though rejecting their doctrine.[6] Contents 1 Life 2 Philosophy 3 Notes 4 References 5 External links Life[edit] Xunzi was born Xun Kuang. Some texts recorded his surname as Sun (孫) instead of Xun, either because the two surnames were homophones in antiquity or because Xun was a naming taboo during the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han (73–48 BC), whose given name was Xun. Herbert Giles and John Knoblock both consider the naming taboo theory more likely.[7][8] Nothing is known of his lineage, and the early years of Xunzi's life are shrouded in mystery. Accounts of when he lived conflict; he is said to have met a King Kuai of Yan during the time of Mencius, while Liu Xiang states that he lived more than a hundred years after Mencius. The Sima Qian records that he was born in Zhao, and Anze County has erected a large memorial hall at his supposed birthplace. It is recounted that at the age of fifty he went to the state of Qi to study and teach at the Jixia Academy. The Shi Ji states that he became a member of the academy during the time of King Xiang of Qi, discounting the story of his being a teacher of Han Fei, but its chronology would give him a lifetime of 137 years. After studying and teaching in Qi, Xunzi is said to have visited the state of Qin, possibly from 265 BC to 260 BC,[9] and praised its governance, and debated military affairs with Lord Linwu (臨武君) in the court of King Xiaocheng of Zhao. Later, Xunzi was slandered in the Qi court, and he retreated south to the state of Chu. In 240 BC Lord Chunshen, the prime minister of Chu, invited him to take a position as Magistrate of Lanling (蘭陵令), which he initially refused and then accepted. However, Lord Chunshen was assassinated In 238 BC by a court rival and Xunzi subsequently lost his position. He retired, remained in Lanling, a region in what is today's southern Shandong province, for the rest of his life and was buried there. The year of his death is unknown,[10][11] though if he lived to see the ministership of his supposed student Li Si, as recounted, he would have lived into his nineties, dying shortly after 219 BC.[12] Philosophy[edit] Xunzi witnessed the chaos surrounding the fall of the Zhou dynasty and rise of the Qin state which upheld "doctrines focusing on state control, by means of law and penalties" (Chinese Legalism).[3] Like Shang Yang, Xunzi believed that humanity's inborn tendencies were evil and that ethical norms had been invented to rectify people. His variety of Confucianism therefore has a darker, more pragmatic flavour than the optimistic Confucianism of Mencius, who tended to view humans as innately good, though like most Confucians he believed that people could be refined through education and ritual.[13][14] However, he believed that only an elite could accomplish this.[15] He adapted Confucianism to the ideas of the Mohists and Legalists.[16] Therefore, unlike other Confucians, Xunzi allowed that penal law could play a legitimate, though secondary, role in the state.[17] He rejects the Book of Lord Shang and Zhuangzi's claims that the way changes with the times, saying the way had been invented by the sages.[13] To this end he seems to have taken up the Mohists' argumentative strategies and conception of models (Fa) (which the Legalists had also taken up), saying "the Ru model themselves after the former kings".[13] Unlike the Legalists, he places little emphasis on general rules, advocating the use of particular examples as models.[15] Ultimately, he refused to admit theories of state and administration apart from ritual and self-cultivation, arguing for the gentleman, rather than the measurements promoted by the Legalists, as the wellspring of objective criterion.[16] His ideal gentleman (junzi) king and government, aided by a class of erudites (Ru), are "very close to that of Mencius", but without the tolerance of feudalism (since he rejected hereditary titles and believed that an individual's status in the social hierarchy should be determined only by their own merit).[18] Notes[edit] ^ Knechtges & Shih (2014), p. 1757. ^ John H. Knoblock. Early China, Vol. 8 (1982–83), p. 29. The Chronology of Xunzi's Works. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23351544 ^ a b de Bary, William Theodore; Bloom, Irene, eds. (1999). Sources of Chinese Tradition: From Earliest Times to 1600. 1. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 159–160. ISBN 978-0231109390. ^ Karyn Lai 2017. p.55. An Introduction to Chinese Philosophy. https://books.google.com/books?id=3M1WDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA55 ^ Tae Hyun KIM 2010 p.18, Other Laozi Parallels in the Hanfeizi ^ Robins, Dan, "Xunzi", 8. Epistemology, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2017 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2017/entries/xunzi/ ^ Giles, Herbert (1898). A Chinese Biographical Dictionary. Bernard Quaritch (London). p. 315. hsun kuang. ^ Knoblock, John (1988). Xunzi: a translation and study of the complete works. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. p. 239. ISBN 0804714517. ^ John H. Knoblock. Early China, Vol. 8 (1982–83), p.34. The Chronology of Xunzi's Works. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23351544 ^ Watson, Burton (2003). Xunzi: Basic Writings. Columbia University Press. pp. 2, 120, 132–133, 145–146, 148, 154, 163–165, 170, 174. ISBN 978-0231129657. ^ David R. Knechtges and Taiping Chang 2014. p.1759. Ancient and Early Medieval Chinese Literature (vols. 3 & 4). https://books.google.com/books?id=OWLPBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA1759 ^ John H. Knoblock. Early China, Vol. 8 (1982–83), p.34. The Chronology of Xunzi's Works. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23351544 ^ a b c Robins, Dan, "Xunzi", 2. The Way of the Sage Kings, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2017 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2017/entries/xunzi/ ^ Manso, William C. (1987). "Incipient Chinese Bureaucracy and Its Ideological Rationale: The Confucianism of Hsün Tzǔ". Dialectical Anthropology. 12 (3): 271–284. JSTOR 29790241. ^ a b Robins, Dan, "Xunzi", 4. Education and Punishment, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2017 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2017/entries/xunzi/ ^ a b John Knoblock 1990. p.172. Xunzi: Books 7-16. https://books.google.com/books?id=DNqmAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA172 ^ (R. Eno), 2010 p.1. LEGALISM AND HUANG-LAO THOUGHT. Indiana University, Early Chinese Thought [B/E/P374]. http://www.indiana.edu/~p374/Legalism.pdf ^ Burton Watson 2003. Xunzi: Basic Writings. https://books.google.com/books?id=0SE2AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA6 Robins, Dan, "Xunzi", 2. The Way of the Sage Kings, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2017 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2017/entries/xunzi/ References[edit] Cua, A.S. (1985). Ethical Argumentation: A Study in Hsün Tzu's Moral Epistemology. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-8248-0942-4. Knechtges, David R.; Shih, Hsiang-lin (2014). "Xunzi 荀子". In Knechtges, David R.; Chang, Taiping (eds.). Ancient and Early Medieval Chinese Literature: A Reference Guide, Part Three. Leiden: Brill. pp. 1757–65. ISBN 978-90-04-27216-3. Loewe, Michael (1993). "Hsün tzu 荀子". In Loewe, Michael (ed.). Early Chinese Texts: A Bibliographical Guide. Berkeley: Society for the Study of Early China; Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California Berkeley. pp. 178–88. ISBN 1-55729-043-1. Munro, Donald J. (2001). The Concept of Man in Early China. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan. ISBN 978-0892641512. Schwartz, Benjamin I. (1985). The World of Thought in Ancient China. Cambridge, MA.: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-96190-0. External links[edit] Wikiquote has quotations related to: Xun Kuang Xun Zi at Curlie Hsun Tzu historical information and writing excerpts Article from the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Full text of the Xunzi (in Chinese) Quotes by Xunzi "Tell me and I forget; teach me and I may remember; involve me and I will learn" v t e Chinese philosophy Schools of Thought Agriculturalism Confucianism Taoism Han learning Huang-Lao Legalism Mohism Neo-Confucianism Neo-Taoism New Confucianism Chinese Marxist Philosophy School of Diplomacy School of Names School of Naturalists Yangism See also: Nine Schools of Thought and Hundred Schools of Thought Philosophers Confucius Gaozi Gongsun Long Han Feizi Huan Tan Huang Zongxi Jin Yuelin Laozi Li Si Lu Jiuyuan Mencius Mozi Shang Yang Su Qin Sunzi Tu Weiming Wang Chong Wang Fuzhi Wang Yangming Xu Xing Xunzi Yang Zhu Zhang Yi Zhu Xi Zhuangzi Zou Yan Concepts Dào: Way Dé: Virtue Fǎ: Model Jiān ài: Universal Love Jing: Reverence Jìngzuo: Meditation Lĭ: Ritual propriety Li: Law Mìng: Mandate or fate Qì: Energy Qing: Essence Rén: Humaneness Shén: Spirit Si: Reflection Tǐ: Substance Tiān: Divine force Wú wéi: Nonaction Xiào: Filial piety Xin: Disposition or intuition Xing: Human nature Yì: Righteousness Yīnyáng: Interdependent opposites Yòng: Function Zhèngmíng: Rectification of names Zhì: Intention or will; Wisdom or cleverness Zìrán: Self-so or natural Topics Aesthetics Epistemology Ethics (Role ethics State consequentialism) Logic Metaphysics Political philosophy Social philosophy Theology Regional schools Lingnan Confucianism v t e Philosophy of language Index of language articles Philosophers Plato (Cratylus) Gorgias Confucius Xunzi Aristotle Stoics Pyrrhonists Scholasticism Ibn Rushd Ibn Khaldun Thomas Hobbes Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Johann Herder Ludwig Noiré Wilhelm von Humboldt Fritz Mauthner Paul Ricœur Ferdinand de Saussure Gottlob Frege Franz Boas Paul Tillich Edward Sapir Leonard Bloomfield Zhuangzi Henri Bergson Lev Vygotsky Ludwig Wittgenstein Philosophical Investigations Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus Bertrand Russell Rudolf Carnap Jacques Derrida Of Grammatology Limited Inc Benjamin Lee Whorf Gustav Bergmann J. 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