On Correct Judgement

This essay is composed of two parts: dynastic system and human nature. The former concentrates on the doubts and misunderstandings of later generations about the sagely kings or the dynastic system from the present to the ancient times in chronological order, e.g., the world in the possession of Jie and Zhou was usurped and seized by Tang and Wu, the burial was frugal in remote antiquity, etc. The latter is related to public administration. By citing the views of Master Song, it points out that the fault of his theory lies in its failure to grasp the fundamental issues of human nature, human feelings, and human desires and to take the dynastic system as the highest standard. The fundamental of governing a country is to follow the way of the sagely kings, completely understand human nature, and guide men to rite and morality. The two parts demonstrated the relationship between human nature and conscious activity, two basic categories in the core theory of Master Xun on social administration.