Similarities Between Confucius And Xunzi

Mencius (Mengzi) and Xunzi were two great early architects of Confucianism. Confucianism is the term used to describe the group of religious traditions that are based on the teachings of Confucius (also known as Kong Qui or K’ung Fu-tzu), a Chinese intellectual who was born in approximately 551 BCE. Little is known of Confucius’ early life. According to Records of the Historian, written by Ssu-ma Chi’en, he was born into a royal family of the Chou Dynasty. Other accounts describe him as being born into poverty. What is undisputed about Confucius’ life is that he lived during a time of ideological crisis in China. As a young man, he lived as an aesthetic and studied ancient ceremonial rites and imperial institutions. When he eventually returned
For Mengzi, man’s nature is good because he received it from heaven at birth. He believed heaven (Tian) to be made up of an all-encompassing ethical power, therefore, it is inevitable that man’s nature would be innately good. For Xunzi, heaven embodies no ethical principle and is merely a name for the functioning activities of the universe. Therefore, morality is man-made and has no metaphysical explanation. Further, he believed these activities were imitating nature and almost mechanical. Xunzi said human nature is evil or uncivilized and its goodness derives from conscious activity. So is it possible for humans to create higher values of civilization? In the essay “A Discussion of Ritual,” Xunzi answers this question and explains the concept at the foundation of his entire philosophy. He writes that man differs from other creatures in one important respect – he has instinctual motivations and possesses an intelligence that enables him to form cooperative social organizations. The Li or the order, rites, rules of decorum established the “Way” of Confucianism, which is the governing morals of the people. The Li are the basics out of which Xunzi builds the ideal