Xun Zi's thoughts on international politics and their implications

Chinese Journal of International Politics

Volumn 2, Issue 1, 2008, Pages 135-165

  Xuetong, Yan ^a  

^a TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY   (China)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 47049085758     PISSN: 17508916     EISSN: 17508924     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/cjip/pon005     Document Type: Article

References (70)

1. This article analyses Xun Zi's thoughts solely from an international politics perspective; it has no intention of participating in the academic debate concerning historical and documentary studies of this ancient philosopher. In explaining Xun Zi's ideas, this article consulted Yang Liuqiao's Xun Zi guyi (Interpretation of Xun Zi)
2. Wang Tianhai's (edited and annotated) Xun Zi jiaoshi (Correction and Annotation of Xun Zi's Works)
3. Jian Nahua and Yang Hanqing's Xun Zi quanyi (Interpretation of the Complete Works of Xun Zi)
4. and Gao Changshan's Xun Zi (Xun Zi).
5. In the field of history, Wang Xianqian's Xun Zi jijie, (Collection and Interpretation of Xun Zi's Works) is widely acknowledged as the seminal work for the study of Xun Zi. All citations of Xun Zi's works in this article, therefore, are from Shen Xiaohuan and Wang Xingxian's edited version of it.
6. The article's English translations of Xun Zi's works are from John Knoblock, Xun Zi - A Translation and Study of the Complete Works, Vol. I, II, III (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1990).
7. It should be noted that in Xun Zi's works, ba is similar to the linguistically neutral "hegemony", which has no negative. The word "hegemony", therefore, is also used neutrally in this article, and does not imply external aggression or bullying of small countries.
8. Shen Xiaohuan and Wang Xingxian eds., Xun Zi jijie (Collection and Interpretation of Xun Zi's Works), Book 11 On King and Lord Protector, p. 202 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 149).
9. Xun Zi jijie, Book 11, p. 209 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 154).
10. Xun Zi jijie, Book 24 On the Gentleman, pp. 452-453 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 167).
11. Xun Zi jijie, Book 9 On the Regulations of a King, p. 154 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 98).
12. Alexander Wendt, Social Theory of International Politics (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 250.
13. Xun Zi jijie, Book 11 On King and Lord-Protector, p. 207 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 153).
14. Xun Zi jijie, Book 9 On the Regulations of a King, p. 171 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 108).
15. Xun Zi jijie, Book 18 Rectifying Theses, p. 324 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 35).
16. Yan Xuetong, Zhongguo guojia liyi fenxi (Analysis of China's National Interest) (Tianjin: Tianjin renmin chubanshe, 1997), pp. 4-6.
17. Xun Zi jijie, Book 18 Rectifying Theses, p. 323 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 34).
18. Xun Zi jijie, Book 11 On King and Lord-Protector, p. 207 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 153).
19. Pp - perceived power, C - critical mass, E - economic capability, M - military capability, S - strategic purpose, W - will to pursue national strategy.
20. Xun Zi jijie, Book 7 On Confucius, p. 109 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 59).
21. Xun Zi jijie, Book 10 On Enriching the State, pp. 194-195 (Knoblock, Vol. II, pp. 134-135).
22. Xun Zi jijie, Book 9 On the Regulation of a King, pp. 153-154 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 98).
23. Xun Zi jijie, Book 10 On Enriching the State, p. 198 (Knoblock, Vol. II, pp. 136-137).
24. Xun Zi jijie, Book 10, pp. 199-201 (Knoblock, Vol. II, pp. 137-138).
25. Lu Yang, "Feizhou nasheme zhengjiu ziji?" ('How can Africa Save Itself?"), http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2005-07/22/ content_3252643.htm
26. Xun Zi jijie, Book 9 On the Regulation of a King, pp. 173-174 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. III)
27. Xun Zi jijie, Book 10 On Enriching the State, p. 199 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 37).
28. Xun Zi jijie, Book 16 Debate on the Principles of Warfare, p. 290 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 234).
29. Xun Zi jijie, Book 13 On the Way of Ministers, pp. 247-248 (Knoblock, Vol. II, pp. 197-198).
30. Xun Zi jijie, Book 12 On the Way of a Lord, p. 240 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 185).
31. Xun Zi jijie, Book 12, p. 242 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 187).
32. Xun Zi jijie, Book 11 Of Kings and Lords-Protector, pp. 216 (Knoblock, Vol. II, pp. 159-160).
33. Xun Zi jijie, Book 11, p. 218 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 161).
34. Xun Zi jijie, Book 18 Rectifying Theses, pp. 324-326 (Knoblock, Vol. III, pp. 35-36).
35. Xun Zi jijie, Book 18, pp. 322-323 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 34).
36. Xun Zi jijie, Book 18, p. 323 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 34).
37. Xun Zi jijie, Book 18, p. 326 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 36).
38. Xun Zi jijie, Book 11 Of Kings and Lords-Protector, p. 204 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 151).
39. Xun Zi jijie, Book 9 On the Regulation of a King, p. 158 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 100).
40. Xun Zi jijie, Book 18 Rectifying Theses, p. 325 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 36).
41. Xun Zi jijie, Book 11 Of Kings and Lords-Protector, pp. 204-205 (Knoblock, Vol. II, pp. 151-152).
42. Xun Zi jijie, Book 9 On the Regulations of a King, pp. 156-157 (Knoblock, Vol. II, pp. 99-100).
43. Xun Zi jijie, Book 9 On the Regulations of a King, pp. 154-155 (Knoblock, Vol. II, pp. 98-99).
44. Hans J. Morgenthau, Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace, 6th edition, (New York: Alfred A Knope, 2005), pp. 247-249.
45. Xun Zi jijie, Book 23 Man's Nature is Evil, pp. 434-435 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 151).
46. Hans J. Morgenthau, Politics Among Nations, p. 4.
47. Xun Zi jijie, Book 23 Man's Nature is Evil, pp. 435-436 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 152).
48. Xun Zi jijie, Book 19 Discourse on Ritual Principles, p. 346 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 55).
49. Xun Zi jijie, Book 22 On the Correct Use of Names, p. 428 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 136).
50. Xun Zi jijie, Book 22, p. 428 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 135).
51. Xun Zi jijie, Book 27 The Great Compendium, pp. 492, 495 (Knoblock, Vol. III, pp. 213, 217).
52. Xun Zi jijie, Book 23 Man's Nature is Evil, p. 435 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 74).
53. Xun Zi jijie, Book 19 Discourse on Ritual Principles, p. 346 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 55).
54. Robert O. Keohane and Joseph S. Nye, Power and Interdependence (New York: Longman, 2001), p. 294.
55. Ibid., p. 295.
56. Xun Zi jijie, Book 10 On Enriching the State, p. 179 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 123).
57. Xun Zi jijie, Book 9 On the Regulation of a King, p. 152 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 96).
58. Xun Zi jijie, Book 9, p. 152 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 96).
59. The Five Ordinances System, according to Wang Xianqian's Xun Zi jijie was an international system with the Zhou King's kingship city at the centre and a broad core and periphery. The dian ordinance, which occupied the 500 li surrounding the kingship city, was for planting various grains and acted as the King's food supplier. The surrounding 500 li surrounding was the hou ordinance, which mainly provided the king with labour and territorial protection. The 2,500 li surrounding that was the bin ordinance, which comprised the vassal states of which China consisted. This area was subdivided into five 500-li qi, in the order: hou qi; dian qi; nan qi;ai q;and wei qi, that were mostly responsible for cultural education and military support. The next areas contained the yao ordinance and the huang ordinance, each of 1,000 li, but their distance from the center is uncertain. The yao ordinance was further divided into the man and yi ordinances, each of 500 li of similar political order but reduced taxation. The huang ordinance was further divided into the zhen ordinance and fan ordinance, each also covering 500 li, which had simple political systems and norms, and where population mobility was high. There are, however, various other academic explanations of the five ordinances system. See Ye Zicheng, Chunqiu shiqi de Zhongguo waijao sixiang (Chinese Ideas and Thoughts of Diplomacy during the Spring-Autumn Period) (Hong Kong: Hong Kong shehui kexue chubanshe, 2003), p. 28.
60. Xun Zi jijie, Book 18 Rectifying Theses, p. 329 (Knoblock, Vol. III, p. 38).
61. Xun Zi jijie, Book 9 On the Regulation of a King, pp. 154-155 (Knoblock, Vol. II pp. 98-99).
62. Xun Zi jijie, Book 18 Rectifying Theses, pp. 329-330 (Knoblock, Vol. III, pp. 38-39).
63. Hu Jintao, "Nuli jianshe chijiu heping gongtong fanrong de hexie shijie" ("Making an Effort to Build a Sustainable, Peaceful, and United Prosperous Harmonious World, Speech at the United Nations 60 Year Celebration"), Renmin Ribao (People's Daily), 16 September, 2006, p. 1.
64. "Zhongyang waishi gongzuo huiyi zai jing juxing" ("Central Foreign Affairs Meeting held in Beijing"), Renmin Ribao (People's Daily), 24 August 2006, p. 1.
65. "Zhonggong zhongyang guanyu goujian shehui zhuyi hexie shehui ruogan zhongda wenti de jueding" ("Chinese Communist Party Central Committee's Decision on Construction of Socialist Harmonious Society"), Renmin Ribao (People's Daily), 19 October 19 2006, pp. 1-2.
66. Hu Jintao, "Making an Effort to Build a Sustainable, Peaceful, and United Prosperous Harmonious World, Speech at the United Nations 60 Year Celebration".
67. Zhu Rongji, "Zhengfu gongzuo baogao" ("Government Report"), in Shiliu da yilai zhongyao wenxian xuanbian (Selection of Important Documents since CCP 16th Congress) (Beijing: Zhongyang wenxian chubanshe, 2005), p. 188.
68. Mao Zedong, Mao Zedong xuanji (Collections of Mao Zedong) (Beijing: Renmin chubanshe, 1991), pp. 526, 535.
69. L.S. Stavrianos, The World Since 1500: A Global History (London: Prentice-Hall International Inc., 1966), pp. 36-37.
70. Xun Zi jijie, Book 11 Of Kings and Lords-Protector, p. 202 (Knoblock, Vol. II, p. 150).