An Inquiry into the Core of Xunzi's 'On Rites': The Origin of Rites, Textual-Structural Logic, and the Way of Elevation and Reduction

Section 3 The Profound Meaning of "Measure, Quantity, Division, Boundary" (Du Liang Fen Jie)

"When seeking lacks measure and boundary, contention cannot be avoided."

This sentence follows the preceding one, further expanding the logical chain. Humans have desires, leading to seeking; if seeking lacks "measure and boundary," contention inevitably arises.

The four terms "measure, quantity, division, boundary" (du liang fen jie) are one of the core concepts in Master Xunzi’s theory of Rites. These four terms can be understood separately or as a unified concept.

"Measure" (Du)—Scale, standard. Everything must have a standard by which it is measured. How much is enough$88 What degree is appropriate$89 This is "measure." The wise define names to correspond to reality (Zheng Ming); similarly, there must be a "measure" to gauge the relationship between desire and fulfillment.

"Quantity" (Liang)—Capacity, allocation limit. How much each person can obtain, and how much each resource can be allocated—this is "quantity." "Quantity" is the concrete manifestation of "measure"—"measure" is the abstract standard, "quantity" is the concrete amount.

"Division" (Fen)—Differentiation, distribution. Different people should receive different shares, and different situations should have different norms. This is "division." Master Xunzi especially emphasizes the importance of "division" in the Wang Zhi (Royal Institutions) chapter:

"When divisions are equal, there is no partiality; when status is equal, there is no obedience; when the masses are equal, there is no command. There is Heaven and Earth, yet superiors and inferiors have differences. The enlightened King first established laws and institutions to create distinctions. Two noble ones cannot serve each other, and two lowly ones cannot command each other—this is the decree of Heaven. When status and position are equal and desires/aversions are the same, if things cannot be moderated, contention will inevitably arise, leading to chaos, and chaos leads to destitution. The Former Kings detested this chaos, so they established Rites and Righteousness to differentiate among them, establishing degrees of rich and poor, noble and base, sufficient for mutual oversight—this is the foundation for nurturing the world. The Book of Documents says: 'To be equal is not to be equal.' This is what is meant."

This passage almost perfectly parallels the opening of the Discourse on Rites, but adds a crucial element—the concrete meaning of "division" (fen) is "to establish degrees of rich and poor, noble and base." Thus, "division" is not simple egalitarian sharing, but a division with gradations (cha deng zhi fen). Different people, according to the height of their virtue and capability, receive different social statuses and material treatments. This differentiation in division is a core function of Rites.

"Boundary" (Jie)—Limit, demarcation. Every distribution must have its boundary, which cannot be crossed. "Boundary" is the guarantee of "division"—without clear limits, "division" becomes meaningless.

Taken together, "measure, quantity, division, boundary" means: the standard for measurement, the quota for allocation, the differentiation of grades, and the inviolable limits. These four elements constitute a complete framework for social order. With this framework, human pursuits can proceed orderly, without descending into chaos.

Why does "lacking measure and boundary" inevitably lead to "contention"$90 The reason is simple: If there is no standard to measure who should get how much, no limit to restrain individual acquisition, no differentiation to distinguish different shares for different people, and no boundary to prevent encroachment, then everyone will strive to seize as many resources as possible. Since resources are finite, contention becomes unavoidable.

Master Xunzi further explains this in the Rong Ru (Honor and Disgrace) chapter:

"Man’s nature is such that he desires choice meats and embroidered clothes for eating and wearing, carriages and horses for traveling, and moreover desires abundance of accumulated wealth. Yet, throughout years and generations, he is never satisfied—this is human nature."

Human nature (ren zhi qing) is never satisfied. One desires choice meats (chu huan) for eating, and fine silks (wen xiu) for wearing; one desires carriages and horses for travel, and wishes to accumulate wealth. "Never satisfied throughout years and generations" (qiong nian lei shi bu zhi bu zu)—it is never enough in a lifetime. This is the "infinite nature of desire." When infinite desire encounters finite resources, and there is no "measure, quantity, division, boundary" to regulate it, contention is the only outcome.

More profoundly, the root of "cannot avoid contention" lies not only in the scarcity of resources but also in the comparative psychology of people. Humans do not just want their own desires satisfied; they want to obtain more than others. Master Xunzi in Fu Guo states:

"Desires and aversions point to the same things. Desires are many, but things are few; when few, contention must arise."

"Desires and aversions point to the same things" (yu e wu tong wu)—the objects toward which human likes and dislikes point are the same. Everyone desires good food, good clothing, and good housing. When all point toward the same scarce resource, conflict is unavoidable.

This profound insight into the competitive nature of humanity is also reflected in the Zuo Zhuan. In the Zuo Zhuan, Xiang Gong Twenty-Sixth Year, it is recorded:

"One who governs a state well ensures that rewards are not over-extended and punishments are not applied too broadly. If rewards are over-extended, one fears they will reach the dissolute; if punishments are too broad, one fears they will reach the virtuous. If one unfortunately errs, it is better to over-reward than to punish too broadly."

Why is "no over-extension of rewards" (shang bu jian) so important$91 Because if rewards lack standards, measures, and boundaries, they lead to "the dissolute" (yin ren, improper people) receiving undue rewards, which in turn provokes dissatisfaction and contention from others. This is the practical footnote to "when seeking lacks measure and boundary, contention cannot be avoided."

From the Daoist perspective, Laozi offers a more fundamental reflection:

"Do not exalt the worthy, and the people will not strive. Do not value the hard-to-get goods, and the people will not steal. Do not display what arouses desire, and the people’s minds will not be confused." (Laozi, Chapter 3)

Laozi’s strategy is to eliminate the motive for contention at its source: If worthiness is not praised, people will not compete for fame; if hard-to-get goods are not treasured, people will not steal; if desirable objects are not displayed, people’s minds will not be disturbed. This is a "taking the firewood out from under the cauldron" strategy: instead of using "measure and boundary" to regulate contention, it eliminates the very conditions that trigger contention.

The divergence between Xunzi and Laozi is most vivid here. Xunzi believed desire is ineliminable, and contention is its inevitable result, thus requiring external institutions (Rites) to regulate it; Laozi believed contention can be fundamentally avoided—simply by not stimulating human desire.

However, we might ask: Is Laozi’s strategy truly feasible$92 Is "not displaying what arouses desire" possible$93 Since human desire is "born with" and "received from Heaven," can it really be eliminated simply by "not seeing" it$94 If a hungry person does not see food, does he cease to be hungry$95 If a cold person does not see clothing, does he cease to be cold$96 From this angle, Xunzi’s position seems more realistic and pragmatic. He does not fantasize about eliminating desire but faces its existence and attempts to establish a rational order for it.

Yet, Laozi’s critique also holds profound insight. The contention caused by "exalting the worthy" and the theft resulting from "valuing rare goods" have indeed occurred frequently in historical practice. Excessive competition and comparison certainly exacerbate social chaos. Therefore, Daoist reflection serves as a useful supplement to Confucian ritual theory—while establishing "measure and boundary," one must also guard against excessive stimulation and temptation.