"Ritual means nourishment; ritual means respecting others."

Source: Xunzi's "On Rites".

Note: Ritual is something that regulates people’s desires.

A person with etiquette literacy will first respect others and respect others. Social interaction is a kind of communication based on respecting each other, understanding each other, and interacting with each other.

Extended information

"On Rites" is the most important article in Xunzi's works. It systematically discusses the origin, content and function of "rituals". Based on the "theory of evil nature", it is believed that "human beings are born with desires", and if desires are not obtained, competition and chaos will occur. Establish etiquette and justice to regulate people's desires, avoid disputes, and maintain stability. Ritual has "nurture" and "differentiation". "Yang" means "nurturing people's desires and giving people's needs" and satisfying people's material desires and needs. "Bidding" means "there are differences between high and low, old and young, rich and poor." Both light and heavy have their own merits." The two are interdependent. The article analyzes the content of rituals in detail, focuses on funeral rituals, puts forward the point of view of "Long Li", and points out that rituals are the foundation of governing a country and "the ultimate in human nature". Those who follow will be safe, those who do not follow will be in danger, those who follow will survive, those who do not follow will perish."

Xunzi (approximately 313 BC - 238 BC) was named Kuang, with the courtesy name Qing. Because he avoided the taboo of Liu Xun, Emperor Xuan of the Western Han Dynasty, and because the two characters "Xun" and "Sun" had the same ancient pronunciation, he was also called Sun Qing. Han nationality, a native of Zhao Guoyi (now Anze, Shanxi) at the end of the Zhou Dynasty and the Warring States Period. A famous thinker, writer, politician, and one of the representatives of Confucianism, he was respectfully called "Xun Qing" by people at the time. He served three times as a sacrificial wine drinker at the Jixia Academy of the State of Qi, and later became the order of Chu Lanling (today's Lanling, Shandong). Xunzi developed Confucianism and advocated the theory of evil nature, which is often compared with Mencius' theory of good nature. He also made considerable contributions to the reconstruction of Confucian classics.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Etiquette