Hsun Tzu
...ary 12, 2005). Hsun Tzu believed that human nature was evil, or even nonexistent. Hsun Tzu said “The nature is that which is given by Heaven; you cannot learn it, you cannot acquire it by effort” (Mencius and Hsun Tzu on Human Nature, http://brian.hoffert.faculty.noctrl.edu/REL275/Mencius.Xunzi.html, pg.1, retrieved: January 12, 2005). Hsun Tzu took the concept of li (rites and rituals) even further. It was his belief that Ritual principles created by sages can be learned and applied in everyday life. In the literal sense one can say Hsun Tzu is right in his thinking. Nature in the literal sense is the heaven and the earth and everything in between. Therefore, he is right to say we can not learn what is given from nature. However, a sage can educate us on the rites and rituals of society therefore helping man to become good. He did believe man could become good, he wrote, “the nature of man is evil; his goodness is only acquired through training” (Hsun-Tzu, http://web.presby.edu/~gramsey/Religion_310/Chinese/Hsun.html, retrieved: January 12, 2005). Hsun Tzu believed that people has to be shown the direction in which they were to go, they were incapable of choosing this on their own. Because of this belief one could say he believed in nurture over nature. In support of this belief “nurture over nature”, look to the saying “children are a reflection of their parents.” It is my belief that this is true. Children are taught the way to be by the adults (most of the time parents) around them. When in the proper environment and being raised with proper discipline, moral values, and good role models most children will grow up to be producti...