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Essay of Xun Zi (Hsun Tzu) "On Learning" 荀子 劝学篇 -- Cantonese reading by James Chan
I'd like to share the practical wisdom of the prominent Chinese Confucian philosopher, Xun Zi 荀子 (spelled Hsun Tzu before 1949 or Xunzi today) in his essay "On Learning" 劝学篇. Xun Zi (312-230 B.C.) lived right before China was unified as one empire by the First Emperor of China 秦始皇帝 in 221 B.C.

Like other Chinese philosophers who lived during the Warring States Period in ancient China (475-221 B.C.), Xun Zi proposed his ideas on how peoples and competing kingdoms could live in harmony. He was well-known for his view that human nature was fundamentally "evil," (性恶论) as opposed to his older contemporary Confucian philosopher, Mencius (Meng Zi), who argued that human nature was fundamentally "good" (性善论).

I am not here to decides who is right. In my mind, Xun Zi believed that human nature was not fundamentally "good." For that very reason, he advocated using education and life-long, moral learning to tame the wayward-prone human spirit and thus help maintain social order and a civilized society.

Xun Zi wrote a number of philosophical essays. His essay "On Learning" 劝学篇 was required reading in our Chinese literature class in the 1970s in Hong Kong. Even since I read "On Learning," when I was 17 years old, I have not been able to forget its content. Xun Zi's words, ideas, and his ideals often come to mind during the day or at night in my sleep. By reading Xun Zi's "On Learning" in my native Cantonese, I would like to come to full closure on how much he has haunted me, and how much I agree with him.

You can find at least two very good English-language translation of "On Learning." One is the translation by Burton Watson of Columbia University in his book, Hsun Tzu: Basic Writings (New York: Columbia University Press, 1963, begining page 15). A more recent translation is by Eric L. Hutton of the University of Utach in the book, Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy edited by Philip J. Ivanhoe and Bryan W. Van Norden (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 2001, pages 256 to 261). an English translation of "On Learning" by Burton Watson or by Eric Hutton on the Internet. You can view the original Chinese with explanation (also in Chinese) on the Internet in China at: http://blog.bioon.net/user1/2942/archives/2006/51791.shtml.

In the following, I've posted my own interpretation of "On Learning" by Xun Zi and the full text of the essay in simplified Chinese as used in Mainland China today. My English rendition is my paraphrasing Xun Zi rather than translating his text. Instead of translating Xun Zi's words, I would like to interpret his mind.

Xun Zi (Hsun Tzu) “On Learning”
荀子•劝学篇

A person interpretation by James Chan of Philadelphia

Copyright 2010 James Chan
 
We cannot stop learning. Just like the blue color that is derived from the indigo plant, the blue dye is bluer and better than the indigo plant itself. Ice, which is derived from water, is colder than water. If you take time and effort to twist a relatively straight piece of wood into a circular wheel, you cannot make it straight again no matter how much you try. This is because you have put in your effort over time. You can turn a piece of blunt metal into a sword by sharpening it. For all of the above reasons, if you are willing to learn something every day and reflect upon how you have benefited from it and how you can apply what you have learned, you will begin to discover the truth of many things. You will begin to tell right from wrong.

Until you climb to the top of a mountain, you will not know how high is the sky. If you don’t travel to the bottom of a valley, you will not know how deep is the earth. If you don’t read the great works written by learned men and women of all ages and all lands, you will never realize how vast is knowledge.

We are born into different races, tribes, and ethnic communities. When we were babies, we cried the same way and smiled the same way. But when we grow up in our respective nations, cultures, and ethnic communities, we have become different in our speech and manners. This is because our unique education has made us so. Learning over time has made us what we are. Therefore, do not stop learning. Do not stop improving yourself by educating yourself.

Be true to yourself, keep learning, and discover who you are and how to live and get along with other human beings.  If the gods know that you are earnestly learning to be a better person, they will bless you and give you a good life. The gods are in fact the rules of Nature. By following Nature, and by learning and reflecting on what is truthful, good, and beautiful, you too will come close to Nature. We reap what we sow.

I tried thinking matters through all day without looking up things and I got nowhere. By earnestly trying to learn and seek answers, I acquired new knowledge. I tried standing on my toes in the hope that I could see things at a distance. I finally decided to walk up the mountains and I was indeed able to see things that are far away. When you wave on top of the hill, your arms have not grown longer but more people can you waving. When you cry with the wind on your back, your voice has not become faster and louder but you reach more people. Why try to walk a thousand miles if you can get there by car? Why swim across the oceans if you can travel around the world by ship or by plane? We humans are not born any more superior than animals. We have become superior because we learn and we know how to learn.


To be continued.
 
Chinese text of "On Learning" by Xun Zi 荀子劝学篇中文全文
荀子·劝学

君子曰:学不可以已。青,取之于蓝,而青于蓝;冰,水为之,而寒于水。木 直中绳,揉以为轮,其曲中规,虽有槁暴,不复挺者,柔使之然也。故木受 绳则直,金就砾则利。君子博学而日参省乎己,则知明而行无过矣。

故不登高山,不知天之高也;不临深奚,不知地之厚也;不闻先王之遗 言,不知学问之大也。于越夷貉之子,生而同声,长而异俗,教使之然也。诗曰: “嗟尔君子,无恒安息。靖恭尔位,好是正直。神之听之,介尔景福。”神莫大于 化道,福莫长于无祸。

吾尝终日而思矣,不如须臾之所学也。吾尝跂而望矣,不如登高之博见 也。登高而招,臂非加长也,而见者远。顺风而呼,声非加疾也,而闻者彰。假舆 马者,非利足也,而致千里。假舟辑者,非能水也,而绝江河。君子生非异也,善 假于物也。

南方有鸟焉,名曰“蒙鸠”,以羽为巢,而编之以发,系之苇苕。风至苕折, 卵破子死。巢非不完也,所系者然也。西方有木焉,名曰“射干”,茎长四寸,生 于高山之上,而临百仞之渊。木茎非能长也,所立者然也。蓬生麻中,不扶而直。 白沙在涅,与之俱黑。兰槐之根是为芷,其渐之滫, 君子不近,庶人不服。其质非不美也,所渐者然也。故君子居必择乡,游必就士, 所以防邪僻而近中正也。

物类之起,必有所始。荣辱之来,必象其德。肉腐出虫,鱼枯生蠹。怠慢忘身 ,祸灾乃作。强自取柱,柔自取束。邪秽在身,怨之所构。施薪若一,火就燥也。 平地若一,水就湿也。草木畴生,禽兽群焉,物各从其类也。是故质的张而弓矢至 焉,林木茂而斧斤至焉,树成荫而众鸟息焉,醯酸而蚋聚焉。故言有召祸也,行有 招辱也,君子慎其所立乎!

积土成山,风雨兴焉。积水成渊,蛟龙生焉。积善成德,而神明自得,圣心备 焉。故不积蹞步,无以至千里;不积小流,无以成江海。骐骥一跃,不能十步;驽 马十驾,功在不舍。锲而舍之,朽木不折;锲而不舍,金石可镂。蚓无爪牙之利, 筋骨之强,上食埃土,下饮黄泉,用心一也。蟹六跪而二螯,非蛇蟺之穴无可寄托者,用心躁也。是故无冥冥之志者,无昭昭之明。无惛惛之事者,无赫赫之功。行衢道者不至,事两君者不容。目不能两视而明,耳 不能两听而聪。螣蛇无足而飞,梧鼠五枝而穷。诗曰 :“尸鸠在桑,其子七兮。淑人君子,其仪一兮。其仪一兮,心如结兮。”故君子 结于一也。

昔者瓠巴鼓瑟而流鱼出听,伯牙鼓琴而六马仰秣。故声无小而不闻,行 无隐而不形。玉在山而草木润,渊生珠而崖不枯。为善不积邪?安有不闻者乎! 学恶乎始?恶乎终?曰:其数则始乎诵经,终乎读礼。其义则始乎为士,终乎 为圣人。真积力久则入,学至乎没而后止也。故学数有终,若其义则不可须臾舍也 。为之,人也;舍之,禽兽也。故书者,政事之纪也。诗者,中声之所止也。礼者 ,法之大分,群类之纲纪也。故学至乎礼而止矣。夫是之谓道德之极。礼之敬文也 ,乐之中和也,诗书之博也,春秋之微也,在天地之间者毕矣。

君子之学也,入乎耳,箸乎心,布乎四体,形乎动静。端而言,蠕而动,一可 以为法则。小人之学也,入乎耳,出乎口,口耳之间则四寸耳,曷足以美七尺之躯 哉!古之学者为己,今之学者为人。君子之学也,以美其身。小人之学也,以为禽 犊。故不问而告谓之傲,问一而告二谓之囋。傲,非也;囋非也; 君子如向矣。

学莫便乎近其人。礼乐法而不说,诗书故而不切,春秋简而不速。方其人之习 君子之说,则尊以遍矣,周于世矣。故曰:学莫便乎近其人。

学之经莫速乎好其人,隆礼次之。上不能好其人,下不能隆礼,安特将学杂识 志顺诗书而已耳!则末世穷年,不免为陋儒而已。将原先王,本仁义,则礼正其经 纬蹊径也。若挈裘领,诎五指而顿之,顺者不可胜数也。不道礼宪,以诗书为之, 譬之犹以指测河也,以戈舂黍也,以锥飧壶也,不可以得之矣。故隆礼,虽未明, 法士也;不隆礼,虽察辩,散儒也。

问楛者,勿告也。告楛者,勿问也。说苦者,勿听也。有争气者,勿与辩也。 故必由其道至,然后接之,非其道则避之。故礼恭,而后可与言道之方;辞顺,而 后可与言道之理;色从,而后可与言道之致。故未可与言而言谓之傲,可与言而不 言谓之隐,不观气色而言谓之瞽。故君子不傲不隐不瞽,谨顺其身。诗曰:“匪交 匪舒,天子所予。”此之谓也。

百发失一,不足谓善射。千里蹞步不至,不足谓善御。伦类不通,仁义不一, 不足谓善学。学也者,固学一之也。一出焉,一入焉,涂巷之人也。其善者少,不 善者多,桀纣盗跖也。全之尽之,然后学者也。

君子知夫不全不粹之不足以为美也,故诵数以贯之,思索以通之,为其人以处 之,除其害者以持养之。使目非是无欲见也,使耳非是无欲闻也,使口非是无欲言 也,使心非是无欲虑也。及至其致好之也,目好之五色,耳好之五声,口好之五味 ,心利之有天下。是故权利不能倾也,群众不能移也,天下不能荡也。生乎由是, 死乎由是,夫是之谓德操。德操然后能定。能定然后能应。能定能应,夫是谓之成 人。天见其明,地见其光,君子贵其全也。


James Chan, Ph.D., President
Asia Marketing and Management (AMM)
2014 Naudain Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146-1317  USA
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