Research About The Ecological Ethics Thoughts Of Xun Zi

At the present world, the prosperous civilization brings both material achievementsand various environmental issues--shortage of natural resources, environmentalpollution and ecological imbalance, which trigger the global ecological crisis harshly.Confronted with the issue, either East or West, actively combats against it and seek apath for a sustainable development between human and the nature. The academic elites,both from home and abroad, are turning to the profound traditional Chinese culture,hoping to learn the ecological wisdom to get out from the environment plight. Xun Zi,as a master of Confucianism, absorbed the Confucian ideas of Confucius and Mencius,and he also critically summarized the pre-Qin philosophical thoughts, establishing aunique ecological ethics of his own, which deserves appreciation and furtherexplorations.The eco-ethical thought of Xun Zi has rich connotations. He proposed the CosmicView of "It runs by law" based on the understanding towards the factual differencebetween nature and human nature. Meanwhile, Xun Zi regards the nature of human evil,which is born to be. The nature, favor of goodness, loath to harms, drives people topursue their maximum interests at the expense of the ecological environment. Althoughthe nature of human is evil, we can “lift the nature through enlightenment”, whichmeans the goodness can be rehabilitated by cultivation. We need to constrain andcontrol the desires for materials in the approach of propriety and testimonies. Xun Zibelieves that the ideal relationship between the nature and the people is of harmony andunity. The nature is of an object, which runs by its laws. But people can take theinitiative to respect the law and take advantage of it, thus making profound benefits formankind.Xun Zi also puts forward specific measures for the implementation of theecological ethics, like “Conform to the laws of nature and use it”,“Not compete withthe nature”,“Desire cannot make things depletive, things cannot restrict desire”,“All inaccordance with the appropriate direction”,“Life follows their own destiny”,“Increaserevenue and reduce waste”,“Prohibit excessive hoarding”, etc. These measures are ofgreat significance to adjust relationship between the modern civilization and the nature. Although the ecological ethics thoughts of Xun Zi has become into being over2,000years ago, it is valued for further exploration especially in today’s increasinglyserious ecological status. This philosophy offers a unique ethical perspective andpractical advices to tackle the ecological crisis. And it also provides valuable traditionalideology and cultural resources for the contemporary ecological civilization in China,which would promote construction of socialist ecological civilization.Therefore, thestudies of ecological ethics of Xun Zi are of great importance theoretically andpractically. It avoids biased nature centrism, helps us get out of anthropocentric ethicaldilemma, practices ecological concepts of harmonious development between man andnature, and strengthens the construction of ecological civilization.