The Blending Of Emotion And Reason: A Study Of Xunzi's Theory Of Rites

The relationship between emotion and reason has always been the focus of philosophers' research.Among them,emotion can provide a reasonable basis for action through internal norms,which is a relatively consistent view on the relationship between the two.However,the continuous evolution of historical events promoted Xunzi's thinking.In the late Eastern Zhou Dynasty,the ceremony collapsed and the princes waged wars for supremacy,which made him start to reflect on the causes of these disturbances and whether people's emotions could be expressed in a standardized way.Xunzi believes that human nature has the instinct of seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages,and the restriction of human nature by emotion alone will still lead to the struggle between people's common desires,resulting in social war and poverty.Based on this,Xunzi digs out the rational characteristics of etiquette theory to regulate people's emotions,so that people's emotions can be expressed reasonably.The rational characteristics of etiquette theory reflect a kind of standardization,including the regulation and control of human feelings by the social etiquette system with etiquette as the core.Human feelings become excellent and noble,and can reasonably express behavior and realize the blending of reason and reason;At the same time,the principle of propriety also covers the orderliness of propriety itself,which is the presentation of the unity of propriety and righteousness in the structure.The orderliness of propriety makes propriety consistent in society,so that there will be no chaos in society.Xunzi's theory of propriety opened up a different research way from "emotional rationality",and at the same time,he mobilized the thoughts of legalists,made necessary supplements to the blind areas of the regulation of propriety,and realized the effective control of society through the combination of propriety and rule of law.