Chapter 30 6. The time of death is at hand
After Xunzi, Han Fei.
Han Fei was a student of Xunzi.
Although born in troubled times, Xunzi's attitude towards life is generally optimistic.He even looked at the relationship between man and nature in this way——
Think about it from the sky, control it with animals and animals; praise it from the sky, use it with the destiny of heaven; wait for it according to the time, and make it according to the time...
The meaning is very clear: for the natural world, it is better to feed, control, use and serve it as a cow and horse instead of admiring and yearning for it, submissive and praising it, and expecting and waiting for it.People can become the masters of the world.
Hehe, it is a lot of fun to fight against the sky.
Han Fei was not so optimistic.
In Han Fei's view, human survival is actually very difficult.Moreover, what is really difficult to deal with is not the sky, but people, especially those around you who are unpredictable and hide their knives in their smiles.Therefore, everyone's existence is like a jungle.It doesn't matter whether you are a prince or you are as cheap as an ant.
Such as a chef.
Once, when Jin Wengong was eating, the barbecue served by the catering officer was covered with hair.Wen Gong was furious, called the cook and said, "Do you want to choke the widow to death?"
This is of course unforgivable.
Fortunately, the chef was calm.He kowtowed and said, the villain deserves to die. There are three capital crimes: the knife is sharpened quickly, but it can only cut the meat, but not the hair; It was grilled, but only the meat was cooked, and the hair was not burned.The villain really deserves death!
It was obvious that someone had set him up.Fortunately, Mr. Wen was not confused and ordered an investigation, so the chef escaped a disaster.
A certain beauty was not so lucky.
This beauty was probably given to King Huai of Chu by King Wei Xiang. King Huai of Chu loved her very much when he saw it, and Queen Zheng Xiu was as close to her as a sister.Zheng Xiu took out all kinds of beautiful clothes and rare treasures for her to choose, which was even better than King Huai's treatment of her.
King Huai was very happy and said that Zheng Xiu was like a loyal minister and a filial son.
The beauty was also very moved, and felt that Zheng Xiu was really a good sister.
One day, Meimei chatted with Zheng Xiu.
The beauty asked: Sister, what do you think I am not good enough?
Zheng Xiu said: sister, you are really beautiful, but the king doesn't like your nose very much.If you cover your nose, it will be even more charming.
So when the beauty saw King Huai, she covered her nose with her sleeve.
King Huai of Chu was puzzled, so he asked Zheng Xiu: Why does this new beauty cover her nose when she sees a widow?Zheng Xiu pretended to say: "I don't know."King Huai of Chu wanted her to answer, so she said: That girl thinks the king has bad breath.
As a result, it is conceivable that this beauty has lost her nose ever since.
Li Ji was also unlucky.
Li Ji is from the country of Yan and likes to travel, but he doesn't know that his wife is having an affair at home.Once he came home early, but saw a strange man running out naked with disheveled hair.Li Ji asked his wife and concubine Ji: Who is this person?Everyone said: no one.Li Ji said: Do I live to hell?Everyone said again: Exactly.
In the end, it was Li Ji who was doused in blood.
Han Fei told many such stories.But there is only one reason to explain, that is, the human heart is sinister.Humans are the scariest animals in the world.If you do not understand this, your death is at hand.
Therefore, no matter the king or the grassroots, the way of survival is not and cannot be Laozi's showing weakness, Zhuangzi's carelessness, Confucius' moderation, Xunzi's self-improvement, Mozi's chivalry, and Mencius' righteousness.
What should that be?
Take precautions.Especially guard against those around you.
This is a technical job.Therefore, Han Fei's book talks about a large number of methods and cases, such as the "eight traitors" in which officials deceive the emperor and steal the country, and the "ten offenses" in which the ruler loses power and loses his position.These are mainly for the princes.After all, the book "Han Feizi" is a textbook for the king's training class.
Of course, these methods and cases are techniques, and what is more important is the law, that is, the system.Institutions have never been indispensable.What kind of system there is, what kind of civilization there is.Zhou Gong laid the foundation for Chinese civilization, and the most important job was to establish a system.The problem is that by the time of the Warring States Period, these systems had already collapsed.So, should we restore the old system, or create a new one?
This again involves an understanding of human nature.It is on these two issues of system and human nature that Mencius, Xunzi and Han Fei disagree.Their expressing their views and confronting each other is the final and extremely important contention of the scholars.
Then see what they say.
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