Xunzi said: Not hearing is not as good as hearing it; hearing it is not as good as seeing it; seeing it is not as good as knowing it; knowing it is not as good as doing it. Learning only stops when it comes to practice. If you do it, it will be clear.
Translation: What is not heard is not as good as what is heard; what is heard is not as good as what is seen; what is seen is not as good as what is understood; what is understood is not as good as practicing. Knowledge reaches its peak when it is practiced. This sentence comes from "Xunzi·Ruxiao"
The Ruxiao Chapter is the eighth chapter of the Confucian classic "Xunzi". In addition to discussing the role of great Confucians, this article also discusses the virtues of saints, gentlemen, powerful men, elegant people, minor Confucians, vulgar Confucians, vulgar people, common people, and vulgar people, and emphasizes the importance of learning and law.
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Xunxue has a spirit of academic criticism and a sense of inclusiveness, which embodies the historical trend of the Warring States Period when a hundred schools of thought contended towards academic integration. No matter from which angle it is examined, the academic and intellectual history value of "Xunzi Fei Twelve Sons" should be explored.
Xunzi made great contributions to the teaching of Confucian classics. In Confucianism in the Han Dynasty, not only "Ritual" came from Xun Xue, but "Book of Songs" and even "Spring and Autumn Studies" were related to Xun Xue. Wang Zhong, a scholar of the Qing Dynasty, wrote "General Theory of Xun Qingzi" and believed that "Xun Qing's learning originated from Confucius, and was especially responsible for the classics". He also made detailed research on Xunzi's "Jing Chuan" and was a scholar of the history of Confucian classics. Basically agree. The contemporary scholar Xu Fuguan also spoke highly of Xunzi's position in the history of Confucian classics.
Xunzi paid close attention to changes in the real world and was full of meritorious spirit. Xunzi lectured in Qi, served as an official in Chu, discussed military affairs in Zhao, discussed politics in Yan, and discussed customs in Qin. His influence on the society at that time was not inferior to that of Confucius and Mencius.
Confucius did not enter Qin, but Xunzi praised Qin's politics and customs while criticizing it for being "unconfucian". This shows that while adhering to the basic beliefs of Confucianism, he is still striving to expand the political space of Confucianism. Standing between politics and academia, the pragmatic spirit embodied by Xunzi should be the model adopted by Dong Zhongshu, a Confucian of the Han Dynasty. They all contributed to Confucianism adapting to the environment of the times and seeking new development.