Heaven Fire Tongren: Confucian-Daoist Dialogue and the Investigation of Ancient Spiritual Origins from a Pre-Qin Perspective

Section 3: Master Xunzi on "Grouping" (Qún) and "Accord" (Tóng)

Although Master Xunzi held the opposing view on human nature (the theory of inherent evil, xìng è), his insights on "Accord" are remarkably convergent with Mencius's, albeit arrived at through a different route.

I. Man Cannot Exist Without Groups

Xunzi's most important relevant discussion is on the theory of "grouping" (qún). We quoted a passage earlier from the Xunzi (Wang Zhi), which we will now analyze further:

"Man cannot exist without a group. If they group without distinctions, contention arises; contention leads to chaos; chaos leads to separation; separation leads to weakness; weakness leads to the inability to overcome things. Thus, dwellings cannot be secured. This shows that rites and righteousness cannot be abandoned even for a moment. The ability to serve one's parents is called filial piety; to serve one's elder brother is called fraternal respect; to serve superiors is called obedience; to command subordinates is called leadership. The ruler is one who is good at grouping. When the Way of the group is correct, the myriad things all attain their proper place, the six domestic animals all flourish, and all living things achieve their destiny." (荀子·王制)

"Man cannot exist without a group." If they group without distinctions, they contend. If the principles of the group are correct, all things attain their proper place.

This passage reveals another facet of the Way of Tóng Rén: it requires not only "Accord" (gathering) but also "Distinction" (fēn, differentiation, division of labor, hierarchy). This perfectly matches the instruction in the Daxiangzhuan: "classifying lineages and distinguishing things"—classifying and distinguishing is "Distinction," and Tóng Rén is "Accord" built upon "Distinction."

"The ruler is one who is good at grouping"—the ruler's essence is defined as being good at "grouping" (qún). This is a wonderful definition. It defines the essence of political leadership as "grouping"—not ruling, not oppressing, not commanding, but enabling people to live harmoniously together.

II. The "Accord" of Rites and Righteousness

Xunzi believed that the key to enabling people to "group" was "Rites and Righteousness" (lǐ yì). In the Xunzi (On Rites):

"Where do rites originate$5 When man is born, he has desires. If desires are not satisfied, he cannot but seek. If seeking is without measure or boundary, contention is unavoidable. Contention leads to chaos; chaos leads to ruin. The former kings detested this chaos, so they established rites and righteousness to create distinctions, to nurture human desires and satisfy human demands. They ensure that desires do not exhaust material resources, and that resources are not depleted by desires. When the two restrain each other and grow, this is the origin of rites." (荀子·礼论)

The origin of rites lies in the need to restrain human desires. Without rites to regulate them, people fall into chaos striving for limited resources. The former kings established rites and righteousness to achieve a balance between human desires and material resources—"when the two restrain each other and grow."

From the perspective of the Tóng Rén hexagram, "rites and righteousness" are the institutional guarantee that allows Tóng Rén to be sustained. People gather due to shared aspirations and feelings ("Gathering in Accord"), but without the regulation of rites and righteousness, this gathering risks devolving into chaos. This is why the Tóng Rén hexagram emphasizes "advantageous for the noble man to persevere" (lì jūn zǐ zhēn)—righteous principle must restrain the union.

III. "Transforming Nature and Activating Artifice" and Tóng Rén

Xunzi’s theory of inherent evil posits that human nature is bad (selfish, greedy, competitive), and goodness is the result of learned cultivation. In the Xunzi (On the Evil of Human Nature):

"Man's nature is evil; his goodness is the result of his artifice (wěi)." (人之性恶，其善者伪也。)

"Wěi" here does not mean hypocrisy but "artifice"—goodness achieved through human effort (learning, teaching, self-cultivation).

From the perspective of the Tóng Rén hexagram, if human nature is inherently good (Mencius’s view), then Tóng Rén is a natural inclination—people inherently want to accord with one another. But if human nature is inherently evil (Xunzi’s view), then Tóng Rén requires postnatal effort—rites and instruction are needed to overcome selfish nature to achieve true accord.

Regardless of which view is adopted, the conclusion is similar: true Tóng Rén is not casually achieved. Even if human nature is good, goodness must be nurtured and expressed (Mencius's "preserving the heart and nurturing nature"); even if human nature is evil, it can be transformed through teaching (Xunzi's "transforming nature and activating artifice"). The circuitous journey of the six lines of Tóng Rén—from door to clan, to brush, to wall, to mourning, to suburbs—is precisely the reflection of this arduous effort.