XUN Zi was born in the State of Zhao during the late years of the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). His original name was Xun Kuang.
Xun became known as a learned scholar and educator after he came to the State of Qi to study and teach at the prestigious Jixia Academy when he was already a quinquagenarian. Little was known about his earlier life.
In more than 2,000 years in the Chinese intellectual history, Xun was regarded as one of the most important Confucian philosophers. But unlike Mencius, another great Confucian philosopher, who advocated “idealistic” Confucianism, Xun promoted a much more pragmatic approach.
Xun believed that rituals alone would not be enough to build an orderly and harmonious society. So, it was necessary to introduce punitive laws. And because of this concept, Xun has been widely deemed as a philosopher who combines Confucianism and Legalism.
No wonder, two of his most famous students, namely, Han Fei Zi and Li Si, later became the most prominent representatives of the School of Legalism. Li was the influential prime minister of the State of Qin and later served China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).
Xun left behind a book bearing his name. In the 32-chapter Xun Zi, the philosopher discussed philosophy, logics, politics, social ethics and many other aspects of human society.
Contrary to Mencius’ belief that people are innately good, Xun believed that human nature is naturally evil, which must be contained through education and by following the rituals. He also argued that it was necessary to have the guidance of exemplary teachers and to introduce punitive laws in order to prevent human societies from devolving into anarchy.
Xun’s ideas about the attitudes toward and methods of study have great influence among the Chinese. Even today, many of his famous maxims and sayings are still on the lips of almost every Chinese speaker.
He upheld the idea of combining general knowledge with special knowledge in specific fields. He said that study must have a purpose and study requires concentration and wholeheartedness.
One of his most famous sayings is: “Carve but give up half way, even a decayed piece of wood will not break; carve without stop, even metal and stone can be engraved.”
Xun emphasized the key role played by teachers in the course of study. He said that a teacher is not just a source of information; he is a model for the student to look up to.
But he also said: “The dye extracted from the indigo is bluer than the plant, so is the ice colder than the water.” Xun used this phrase to encourage young students to study hard and to make greater achievements than their teachers. Today, the phrase “indigo dye bluer than the plant” is often used to praise young people who have already made some successes in a context where their teachers are mentioned.
Naturally, Xun’s essay, “Exhortations on Study,” always appears in the textbook for Chinese middle school students.
Xun served as an official in the State of Qi and then moved south to the State of Chu, where the Prime Minister Lord Chunshen offered him the position of the magistrate of Lanling.
After the lord was later assassinated by a court rival, Xun left his office, but stayed in Lanling for the rest of his life.
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