Xunzi
Human nature is bad: goodness is the fruit of effort, teachers, rites and laws.
Life
Xunzi (c. 310-235 BCE), born in the state of Zhao, was a Confucian thinker of the late Warring States period. He taught at the Jixia Academy and governed the district of Lanling. Against Mencius, he held that human nature is bad, drawn to gain and envy, and that goodness comes from study, teachers, rites and laws. His students included Han Fei and Li Si.
Main works
Collection of his essays, including "Human nature is bad" (ch. 23), "On rites" and "On Heaven". Approximate date.
In his own words
« Human nature is bad; whatever is good in it is the result of conscious effort. »
人之性惡，其善者僞也。
« Crooked wood must wait for the press and steaming to become straight; blunt metal must wait for the whetstone to become sharp. »
故枸木必將待檃栝、烝、矯然後直，鈍金必將待礱、厲然後利。
« Rites and righteousness arise from the conscious activity of the sages, not from human nature. »
凡禮義者，是生於聖人之僞，非故生於人之性也。
Positions
click a row to see the evidenceHeaven is a regular natural process that does not answer prayers or react to human conduct.
Xunzi, ch. 17 'Discourse on Heaven' (c. 3rd c. BC)
Becoming a good person means cultivating character through study and ritual practice.
Xunzi, ch. 1 'Encouraging Learning' (c. 3rd c. BC)
Moral norms are invented by the sages to order human desires, not found in nature.
Xunzi, ch. 23 'Human Nature is Bad' (c. 3rd c. BC)
'Human nature is bad': left alone, desires lead to strife, and goodness is the fruit of effort, teachers, rites and laws.
Xunzi, ch. 23 'Human Nature is Bad' (c. 3rd c. BC)