Mencius is an intelligent philosopher who was one of the follower and primarily interpreted Confucianism, and whom according to legend, traveled for several years trying to convince rulers for reform. On the other hand, Xun Zi, also a Chinese philosopher, was first recognized at the age of fifty. His reputation of being a Confucius follower was always being questioned.
Xun Zi believed in the evilness of human nature but somehow understood that it could be overcome by the intelligence provided through learning. On the other side, Mencius believed in the goodness of human nature and that there exist the tendency for human to become good like how the water naturally tends to flow downward. Their differences varied upon the way each of them grew up. Xun Zi was born in the middle of disorders and however witnessed the falling and vicious environment during the near end of the Zhou dynasty. Faced with more social and political chaos, his belief was partially influenced by his surroundings. (de Bary, 1999)
Influenced by the Confucians, Mencius believed that positive changes were possible if education would be highlighted for emphasis. Human nature is good because it is not programmed until the very minute detail, that is why when the environment is not favorable, the improvement through education is needed to ease the evilness in the environment that corrupted ones natural nature. And since for him, human nature was naturally good, the beginning of the moral sentiments followed. Education for Mencius would awake the hidden abilities of human. Xunzi also believes in the power of education. But unlike Mencius, he viewed education as a tool to develop goodness in human nature since human are naturally evil.
While Xun Zi believed in the importance of learning, he agreed the humans were deficient. On his part on Encouraging Learning, as interpreted by the Chinese more of pleading or persuading man to learn, he gave different descriptions that would explain how learning could influence ones capability that would be marked as ones own. According to Mencius, Through learning, one could adapt a second nature of refinement and moral uprightness, so that the moral requirements become internalized and the noble person becomes complete. (de Bary,1960)
Xun Zi more focused on discussing learning and its processes, rather than Mencius who spent more time discussing on the perceptive understanding on their learners. Some of the developments talked by Xun Zi were openness to criticisms, balance of character, and guidance of oneself to rituals. He also understands the significance of good governance through administrative skills and recognizes the importance of the authority in a state. He also believes in the social stratification through the recognition of a ruler that would maintain the social distinction. He imposed distinction between a morally virtuous king and an able king, though both aim to protect the people and uphold peace. The morally virtuous king focuses in minor details of the state such as the amount of tax and more intended to benefit the majority of the people. The refinement or the rectification of names, for Mencius, only able him to tackle more about he moral king because it just present the qualities and characters that kings should have. For Xun Zi, the reality of universe is not moral, earth and heaven have different and separate rule in the core of the world, and there are preliminary rules about leadership. The role of the moral kings is simply to practice these rules on its limit and get higher appeal to the people that would able them without the characters they could not obtain.
Xun Zi also believed in the necessity for the rulers to learn and master the rules and laws of leadership which he specifically includes in the discussion of heaven. He defined heaven as one with laws which is called the laws of nature and that man has to accept those rules for them to be good leaders and rulers and that rulers have to focus on collection of taxes (as what the attitude of the morally virtuous king requires) or else be judged of defying the laws of nature (de bary, 1999)
Xun Zi also discussed about rituals, which for him, reflects rules which retain balance in the social order. On the other hand, social order was also created by human instead of created by heaven. For Mencius, our nature is what given by heaven, therefore, everything human creates, is naturally given by heaven.
Through the basis of their roots, Xun Zi, born in a more conflict and intense social chaos, viewed human nature as naturally evil. His witness to the brutality of the unfavorable environment because of the warring states brought to this ideology. However, he believed that this would be change through a massive cultivation of ones self, through education. On the other hand, Mencius, who once served as an official and scholar, aimed for reform through education, as he realizes that human nature is naturally good learning as an appropriate weapon to resist the bad result of the unfavorable environment to the will of human nature. Though they both believed in the power of education, they differ on their purpose.
Mencius also believes that the heart is in charge of enabling human to be good. It is the moral core of the body that is inclined to do what is good, as it is unavoidable. He realizes that choosing moral good derives a certain level of pleasure to human. According to him, there are four receivers in the heart to do moral tendencies, which he called, Four Beginnings. These four natures in the heart are part of the human nature just like the physical parts that grows in the body. They are voluntary in such way that they grow even not being initiated or worked for.
Xun Zi, on his rectification of names, reasoned why naming of things was significant. According to Xun Zi, it is important so that the ruler could address commands with his people without being misunderstood, and that he would maintain respect from the people. He agreed that there should be a universality agreed upon, to continue in the right path in performing his role. Also, to see the same things would cause more disorders because of confusion with their identity.
Both philosophers are undoubtedly reputable of their thoughts. The very high acceptance of education to reform or to cultivate human, is unquestionably beneficiary in the contemporary time. Though they differ on the way and time of executing the concept of learning because of their different perspective in human nature, they have been the foundation of giving man the space for improvement.
Mencius, whose belief is bounded by the singularity of heaven and human world, positively convinced man that everyone have their hidden goodness, and that goodness is inevitable, naturally growing within everyone.
Xun Zi who believes in the evilness of human nature, from being pessimistic to optimistic, argued that given the reality, it could still be change. But on the other side, he favored of a more hierarchical structure of government by rectification of names. His thoughts created the distance between a ruler and the followers. This perspective probably has been the root of the large gap between the rich and the poor, as the words define. But we could not resist the fact that rectification of names brings social order but not a just social order.
Both philosophers have greatly contributed in the Chinese system. Some of their ideologies have been the foundation of knowledge of every institution. They were very influential in terms of cultivating human for individual betterment. They have set the foundation that would motivate human to change and it doesnt matter how much evil resides in every person because still, everyone could be change.
Their differences also created a good spot to for the human to balance every detail For Mencius that human are naturally good and has the tendency to become evil, but can still change through education, while for Xun Zi, man is naturally evil and can still be change through education. The core is that, whatever character and attitude human possess, either way, they have the chance to change.
As what mentioned earlier, their thoughts and differences resulted to individual betterment, and therefore, as well as to the betterment of the society and the state. Since they have created a path for betterment and if all people would have their view, there is a chance for a better society and system.
Education as a tool for the human improvement is an excellent choice of way. But truly, for a better individual, memorization as part of learning is not really the true essence of learning as stated by Mencius. For one to become a better person, he should be able to understand each what he is supposed to learn. After all, memorization is the lowest part of learning.
Their perspective towards the concept of heaven and human world are also enough for the human to weigh which should they believe. For Mencius that everything we does were given and decided by heaven, while Xun Zi believes that human world and heaven are of separate place having separate rules and laws. Therefore the thing people does here, were created by their own will and heaven has nothing to do with it. With these, the decision relies on the hand of the people whether whom should they believe with, but either way, even if it is form Mencius or Xun Zi, both of them helps in the improvement of every person.
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