Hsun Tzu Rites Summary

In A Discussion of Rites, Hsun Tzu discusses human desires and the way in which they are satiated through ritual. When a person is in constant struggles to fulfill their desires, that person loses control of their life. Since ancient times, rulers have noticed this, so they “established ritual principles… to train men’s desires and to provide for their satisfaction” (89). These kings also recognized that desires and material goods matter greatly to man, so “ both desires and goods were looked after and satisfied. This is the origin of rites” (89). These rites are necessary because human desires can be trained, but they cannot be suppressed. To fulfill ritual principles, a man must focus on the three bases of rites. These are “to serve Heaven above and earth below, honor the ancestors, and exalt rulers and teachers” (91). Each basis is crucial in the lives of men, and nothing in life would be complete without all three.
The order of rites are particularly austere in regard to man’s birth and death. The harmonious nature of rites ensure that “the root and the branch are put in proper order; beginning and end are justified” (94). Hsun Tzu believed that the beginning and end of a life should both be treated …show more content…
The difference between heaven and nature is comparative to the separation of the religious from the non-religious. Religious people bring in the higher power of Heaven, while non-religious people do not. Confucians view nature, or the sky, as the top, humans as the middle, and earth as the bottom. They believe that nothing is infinite, which opposes the Western views of never-ending heaven and hell. These non-religious views are more practical and realistic, as they are observational instead of faith-based. This is why Confucians are considered to have the religious views which are those of the intellectual