Source: Persuade to Learn is an essay written by Xunzi, a thinker and writer in the Warring States Period, and it is Xunzi's first work.
Excerpt from the original text: the wood in the rope is straight, not a wheel, and its curve is within the gauge. Although there is a crisis, those who stop coming forward will make it happen. Therefore, the wood is straight by the rope, the gold is sharp, the gentleman is knowledgeable, and he saves himself every day, so he knows clearly without fault.
The wood is straight and conforms to the chalk line, but if it is bent into a wheel (drawn by fire), the curvature of the wood will conform to the general standard of compasses. Even if it is dried by the wind and sun, it will not be straight again. Fire extraction will make it like this.
Therefore, wood will be straightened when measured with ink lines, and metal swords will be sharpened when ground on grindstones. A gentleman learns from others and introspects every day, and then he is wise and reasonable, and his behavior is innocent.
Extended data
The organization of each paragraph of this article is very clear, basically each paragraph expounds a specific problem, and it is always clearly explained at the beginning and end of the article. For example, the first sentence of the article reads: "A gentleman says: You can't learn." This is not only a central topic of the full text, but also the content to be elaborated in the first paragraph.
In the second half, "A gentleman attends Japan, saves himself with knowledge, but knows clearly without fault", which clearly and powerfully takes care of the first sentence, closes the above and clearly points out the central idea of the first paragraph. Another example is "I think all the time, I might as well study all the time" to illustrate that meditation alone is far less beneficial than study.
It also lists several common and convincing metaphors in life, such as "going up the mountain", "calling with the wind", "fake horse" and "fake boat", and then powerfully sums up: "A gentleman's life (sex) is different, and good and fake are also in things." Here, Xunzi points out that inherent vice, a gentleman, is different from others from his viewpoint of "evil nature".
It is because he is good at learning from mentors and changing his bad nature. The word "thing" has changed from "boat" and "horse" to the content of learning, and its writing has gradually deepened. The two examples cited here are taken care of from beginning to end. Some paragraphs only reveal the center of the paragraph at the beginning, or just make a proper summary at the end.
In short, the purpose is the same, but the way is not rigid. Philosophical papers of pre-Qin philosophers are generally difficult to read. Xunzi's rigorous and simple writing method is very effective in helping readers master the basic content of each paragraph.