Conversations of the Taoist Master Fu Hsiang

Tsia Tung: That seems a reasonable way of putting it.

Fu Hsiang: We also agreed that evil action arises from evil intent, and that evil intent arises from afflictive emotion.

Tsia Tung: We did.

Fu Hsiang: Moreover we said that afflictive emotion creates illness.

Tsia Tung: True.

Fu Hsiang: So we can say that if a man deviates from the virtuous life, he is prey to illness. Therefore in just the same way that we concluded a horse is essentially vegetarian, we must conclude that man is essentially virtuous.

Tsia Tung: I now see the line of your reasoning, sifu. The conclusion seems inescapable, I must say. I did not see it before.

Fu Hsiang: Since we are essentially virtuous beings, the negative emotions that nurture evil also harm our bodies. They make us repulsive to our own kind and condemn us to loneliness and fear. But the contrary emotions of courage, love, kindness and forgiveness all nourish our bodies, increase our longevity and make us attractive to others.