The Awareness of Evil Human Nature in Xun Zi,Han Fei Zi and Zhuang Zi:A Preliminary Analysis

The awareness of evil human nature is not the same as the theory of evil human nature, which, in pre-Qin time, was represented only by Xun Zi. The awareness of evil human nature was shared by many scholars at the time. Based on three typical theories of this category, this paper attempts to make a preliminary analysis on the issue. Initiated by Xun Zi, the notion of evil human nature was unique in theory but somewhat superfluous in its exposure of the dark side in human nature. Han Fei Zi' s theory was more profound in this respect, yet his theory originated from Shang Jun, rather than Xun Zi. In Han Fei Zi's further analysis, it was impossible to improve human nature, and any education effort was doomed to fail, due to some fatal flaws in human nature. In Zhuang Zi's mind, the chaos state of primary humans was simply nature. While chaos state was gone, the natural quality in human nature disappeared as a result. And human existence was maneuvered by human cunningness and tricks. Zhuang Zi' s observation of human nature turns to be the keenest. While scholars in pre-Qin time left us rich theories on the ugliness of human nature, Xun Zi's contribution is trifle.