Thinker Xunzi: Learning is the reason why the gap between people really opens up

Author:Liu Xiaoshang Time:2022.09.11

Hello everyone, today we start introducing the thoughts of Confucian thinkers Xunzi. Today we start talking about the first "Persuasion", which is one of the famous articles of "Xunzi".

Why is it called "persuasion"? The meaning of persuasion, encouragement, and guidance. The implication is that learning is not the nature of human beings. It requires correct guidance and encouragement, and it is also emphasizing the importance of acquired education. The "learning" here includes learning and Xi, on the one hand, teachers and professors, and on the other hand, students practice and practice.

"Learning" corresponds to "thinking". In the "The Analects", Confucius said: "Learning without thinking, thinking, but not learning", and Xunzi said: "I taste it all day and think about it. "It also learns", which means that I think about it all day, but it is better to learn more for a moment. Therefore, compared with thinking, Xunzi pays more attention to the combination of learning and practice.

In this article, the importance, methods, attitudes, and purposes of Xunzi discussed. Next, I am divided into several aspects to share the essence of them.

First of all, about the importance of learning, Xunzi advocates lifelong learning. As soon as Xunzi started, he said: "The gentleman said: Learning can not be. Green, take it in blue, and blue in blue; ice, water is there, and cold in water." Obviously, Xunzi is also a typical lifelong learner. Learning should never end and never stop. And Xunzi believes that it is precisely because of learning that our next generation can surpass the previous generation, society can get progress, "green is blue, and blue in blue."

Regarding the necessity of learning, Xunzi also said: The way of learning should start from the classic to the realm of Xi Li, that is, turning learning into a habit and instinct. And the way of human beings must start with a scholar until it becomes a sage. Xunzi said: If learning has an end, then it is not over until the old death. Because, although the practice of learning is orderly, to truly understand the essence of it, we must ponder perseverance for life. If you are committed to learning, you may achieve a person, otherwise, you may be reduced to beasts. "For this, people are also;

Therefore, Xunzi believes that learning is an important reason for the gap between people. Xunzi said that "the wood is straight, and the gold is hard," the wood can be taken straight through the ink line, and the sword can be sharp after being sharpened. The gentleman should study widely, keep reflecting on himself every day, and will be clever and wise, and there is no fault in behavior.

The children of Wu Guo and Yue Guo were the same when they were new, but they became different when they grew up. This is the change brought by education. Xunzi said, "A gentleman is not different, and is good at things." It means that there is no difference in the gentleman when he is born, but he is good at improving himself with the help of foreign things. Sexuality and necessity, learning is a thing that you must adhere to life, and the key to pulling away the gap between people.

Secondly, about the importance of the environment, Xunzi, for example, said: There is a bird in the south called Mongolian Dove. It uses feathers to make nests, and also uses hair to make the nest. Blow, the reed ear was broken, the bird eggs were broken, and the birds fell to death. Its nest is not incomplete, but the place where the nest system is not right. The grass is born in marijuana, and it is tall and upright; the snow -white sand is mixed with the black soil, and it will be as dark as the black soil.

Therefore, Xunzi said that "the old gentleman must choose a hometown, and you must be a priest." When the gentleman lives, he must choose a good place. When going out of the outing, you must approach the wise men. This is to prevent himself from getting astray. Regarding the impact of the environment on a person, there is also the story of the famous "Mom Mom Mo". Mencius's mother moved three times in order to make Mencius have a good growth environment from an early age. The importance of the environment is self -evident to a person. See how expensive today's school district houses are.

Third, the method of learning. The summary is also very simple: focus and persistence. Xunzi said: "If you don't accumulate a step, there is no thousand miles; no small flow, no can become a river." The steed jumps for more than ten steps; the successful horses run for ten days, and the success lies in persistence. I want to engrave but abandon, and the rotten wood will not break; the carving does not stop, and the metal and stones can be carved into patterns. Earthworms, without sharp minions, no tough bones, can eat soil on top, and drink spring water. Essence Therefore, without the aspirations of focusing on, there is no outstanding achievement; if you do not do things, you will have no great success.

Regarding the persistence of learning, not only has you always need to learn, but also to reach a perfect level. Xunzi said: One hundred and one hundred times of archery can not be shot at a time, and you cannot be called a good archery. It cannot be called good at driving; for all things in the world to be unable to integrate, and to be thoroughly thorough, it cannot be called good learning. The so -called learning is to persist in the end. Xunzi is very good at examples, and the language is very elegant. It is easy to understand when reading, and he is deeply thoughtful.

In addition, on the path of learning, Xunzi emphasized the importance of good teachers. Xunzi said that if there are shortcuts in learning, there is no more important than a gentleman and a good teacher, and then they respect the law. If you ca n’t respect the good teacher and do n’t pay attention to ritual law, just read some miscellaneous books, then life is just a shallow scholar. Xunzi is actually emphasizing learning and practice, and the unity of knowledge.

Finally, the ultimate purpose of learning is to cultivate perfect personality. Xunzi said: "The scholars of ancient times are their own, today's scholars are human. The gentleman's learning is also beautiful; the villain's learning also thinks that the poultry calves." Today's people learn to show off people. The gentleman's learning is used to purify his body and mind, and the villain's learning is just to use learning as a poultry.

Xunzi believes that learning should be turned into instincts and habits, and integrated into the body and mind. Xunzi said: The gentleman's study, listening to the ears, kept in mind in his heart, and the integration of the whole body and mind, reflected in every move. We love to learn, just like our eyes love to see the five colors, the ears love to listen to the five sounds, the mouth loves to eat five flavors, and the heart pursues the world.

Turning love learning into an instinct. Such a person will not oppress him, but people cannot change him, and everything in the world cannot shake him. This is the case for life, and so after death. This is the morality and ethics that should have. Only those who have such morals can be unswerving; they can be unwavering, and they can deal with it freely. It can be described as perfect, and can be regarded as perfect person. The sky shows its light, and the earth is revealed. The most important thing is the perfection and purity of personality.

Xunzi said: "Seeing its clearness, seeing the light, the gentleman is expensive."

Well, today we introduced "Xunzi · Persuasion". In this article, Xunzi focuses on the importance of learning, the methods of learning and the ultimate pursuit of learning to learn to explain the way of learning. Although many of them are today, many of the truth is simple, but the road to simplification is often important, and it is often not complicated, and the key is whether we can cross "to do" from "knowing".