Hsun Tzu and Mencius: Conflicting Perspectives of Society
HSUN TZU AND MENCIUS:
Their Conflicting Perspectives of Society
The Warring States period in China (453-221 BCE) presented a time of great confusion and chaos among the people of China. However, it was also a great period for the philosophy of Confucianism, with the teachings of Mencius and Hsun Tzu to lead the way for their lost followers. According to Hsun Tzu and Mencius, human beings give birth to their children with a sense of an inherent reaction to life. Without proper teaching, children would be uncivilized, and ineffective in contributing anything towards society. Young age is important, for it is at this time that their perspectives drastically split. Mencius believed that human beings were born with a rationality of good sense. Hsun Tzu, in opposition, believed that all human beings are born into a state of primitive evil. While both claiming to interpret the philosophy of their teacher, Confucius, with certain contrasting ideas, it is Hsun Tzu's ideas that seemed more logical and realistic to the people of China.
Hsun Tzu was a devoted follower of Confucius, despite his departure from a more "typical" Confucian way of thinking. He believed in dedicated and effective political officials who based their governance on action. This official would grow up in a system of being taught self- cultivation for the betterment of one's virtues by living modestly amongst those who did not. Hsun Tzu's philosophy of governance, economics, and morality was considered to be a much more sound philosophy of Chinese thought because it relied upon sacrifice for the cultivation of a modest and well-schooled society. Hsun Tzu lived during the Warring States, a period of disunity, so he naturally did not have much faith in the corrupt government that was ruling China. For Confucian scholars, the way to maintain order and safety for the people was to bring back ways and rules of the past. However, with the pressure of competition from other states wanting
Their Conflicting Perspectives of Society
The Warring States period in China (453-221 BCE) presented a time of great confusion and chaos among the people of China. However, it was also a great period for the philosophy of Confucianism, with the teachings of Mencius and Hsun Tzu to lead the way for their lost followers. According to Hsun Tzu and Mencius, human beings give birth to their children with a sense of an inherent reaction to life. Without proper teaching, children would be uncivilized, and ineffective in contributing anything towards society. Young age is important, for it is at this time that their perspectives drastically split. Mencius believed that human beings were born with a rationality of good sense. Hsun Tzu, in opposition, believed that all human beings are born into a state of primitive evil. While both claiming to interpret the philosophy of their teacher, Confucius, with certain contrasting ideas, it is Hsun Tzu's ideas that seemed more logical and realistic to the people of China.
Hsun Tzu was a devoted follower of Confucius, despite his departure from a more "typical" Confucian way of thinking. He believed in dedicated and effective political officials who based their governance on action. This official would grow up in a system of being taught self- cultivation for the betterment of one's virtues by living modestly amongst those who did not. Hsun Tzu's philosophy of governance, economics, and morality was considered to be a much more sound philosophy of Chinese thought because it relied upon sacrifice for the cultivation of a modest and well-schooled society. Hsun Tzu lived during the Warring States, a period of disunity, so he naturally did not have much faith in the corrupt government that was ruling China. For Confucian scholars, the way to maintain order and safety for the people was to bring back ways and rules of the past. However, with the pressure of competition from other states wanting