Talk on Human Nature

Dr Liao during the talk

The Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS) together with Mencius Institute (MI) organised a talk titled “Xunzi Critique on Mencius’ Good Human Nature” on 6 July 2018 at Sungai Long Campus. The talk aimed to advocate Confucianism which was brought by Confucius and Mencius.

Invited to deliver the talk was Head of Philosophy Department Dr Liao Xiaohui from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China. He is also the Council member of the Chinese Confucian Academy. His research is mainly focused on Confucianism and Modern Chinese Philosophy.

The talk was chaired by ICS Dr Ng Bung Chen. Also present at the talk were ICS Dean-cum-MI Director Assoc Prof Dr Chong Siou Wei, ICS lecturers, UTAR students and exchange students from Jiangsu Normal University (JNU).

Dr Chong thanking Dr Liao for coming to UTAR

“It is our pleasure to have Dr Liao here at UTAR to present his talk on “Xunzi Critique on Mencius’ Good Human Nature”. UTAR MI was established in the year 2016. It was established to connect with the China Universities. It also aimed to promote and spread the Chinese culture in Malaysia. Besides, another reason for the establishment of MI is to cooperate with JNU to create the first MI outside the China border. Currently, UTAR is the only university with MI in Malaysia,” said Dr Chong before the talk commenced.

Dr Chong (right) and Dr Liao exchanging souvenirs

Dr Liao began his talk by explaining the Xunzi's theory. According to Dr Liao, Xunzi's theory of human nature had been a hot topic for discussion and debate among the scholars for a long time. Since then different versions of his theory have spread out. Dr Liao shared the two different claims of Mencius and Xunzi in determining the human nature with the audience. He explained the differences between the words ‘capacity’ and ‘ability’ which was used in Xunzi’s theory ‘Nature is evil’. On top of it, he also shared with the audience some real-life examples regarding Xunzi’s critique of Mencius’ good human nature.

“Mencius claimed that human nature is essentially good. On the contrary, Xunzi claimed that human nature is essentially evil, and only by going through a reshaping process, which takes place through teaching and learning, one can be made morally good and virtuous. It also said that, if human nature does not go through the reshaping process to become morally good or virtuous, one’s heart or mind will influence its sensory desires to do something that might be against the rules.  Your action reflects what your heart approves,” said Dr Liao in his conclusion.

The talk then ended with an interactive Q&A session. 

The participants during the Q&A session