The Key To Cure Is To Know

Tsunzi lived in a troubled age when “the holy king declined,the world become chaotic and treacherous rumors prevailed”.His philosophical thinking was centered on how to “cease chaos and bring peace” and finally establish a social order that is in accordance with Confucian ideals.The key to solving this problem is,in Tsunzi's view,to obtain knowledge of the “Way of rites and moralities”.It can be said that Tsunzi's epistemological thought plays a bridge role between his seemingly contradictory ideas such as “innate” and “man-made”,the “doctrine of human nature” and “Li and Righteousness theory”.And it has always served its political ideals.Therefore,this article attempts to explore and analyze Xunzi's epistemological thought from the perspective of political philosophy.This article first discusses how Tsunzi attributed the disorder and chaos of society to the rulers of various states and the philosophers who failed to obtain a correct understanding of the “Way of rites and moralities”.According to Tsunzi,misunderstanding intensified social chaos.Therefore,he emphasized excluding “heterodoxy” while highlighting the importance of “knowing the Way”.Then the thesis discusses,in Tsunzi's view,the reasons why “the captivating” appeared,which prevented people obtaining correct and comprehensive knowledge of the “Way” and specific manifestations of it.Tsunzi pointed out the solution that combines the methods of cognition and cultivation,that is,"achieving calmness by emptying the self".By discussing the difference and connection between "knowledge" and "learning" in Tsunzi's epistemological thought,the thesis also emphasizes the important position of "teaching method" in Tsunzi's epistemological thought.The last part of the thesis discusses Tsunzi's definition of "name" and the use of it for the purpose of excluding “heterodoxy” as a carrier and tool of knowing the “Way”.Tsunzi did not believe that merely using “name” could clearly express the knowledge of “Way”.Instead,“distinguishing”,as a more comprehensive account of the knowledge of the “Way”,was needed to persuade them to gain a correct understanding of the “Way”.Finally,through the unified method of understanding the " Way ",it will serve to establish a unified and "reasonable justice" social order.