The Fifth Discourse

The Essential Nature of Human Beings

Tsia Tung: Sifu, I have been reading Hun Tzu²⁶ and he says that the essential nature of man is evil. On the other hand, I have heard Taoists say that our essential nature is good. What do you think?

Men Chow: Is this question important? Since we are bound to behave as superior men, and follow the eightfold path, does it matter from where we begin?

Fu Hsiang: It is important because depending on how we answer Tsia Tung's question, we shall arrange the education of our children differently. If we think that their essential nature is evil, then we will seek to control them from their earliest years. We shall watch them as carefully as wild animals, and curb every evil tendency as soon as it appears. Our motto shall be "Vigilance and discipline". If we think that they are essentially good, then we will seek to release their goodness in the same way that a good sculptor releases a statue from marble; by following the natural lines of the character. Accordingly our training will be light and directed at guiding the natural growth of the child as a good gardener, only binding the plant so that it grows more directly to the sun.

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