The Master said, “By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice (habit and environment), they get to be wide apart.”
Note
This is Confucius’ most classic statement on “human nature,” laying the theoretical foundation for Confucian educational philosophy.
Here, Confucius did not assert that “human nature is inherently good” like Mencius later did, nor did he claim that “human nature is inherently evil” like Xunzi. Instead, he objectively pointed out the “plasticity” of human nature. “Men are nearly alike by nature” affirms that there is no insurmountable gap in innate endowment among people, highlighting universality and equality.
“They get to be wide apart by practice” emphasizes the decisive role of later environment, education, and personal effort in shaping one’s character. This thought broke the aristocratic monopoly on knowledge, providing a philosophical basis for the Confucian advocacy of “education without distinction of class” (educating everyone regardless of social status or wealth). It also highlights the extreme importance of lifelong learning and moral cultivation.
Further Reading
The Master said, “I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there.“
— The Analects, Shuer, 7.20
The Master said, “In education, there should be no class distinctions.”
— The Analects, Weilinggong, 15.39
The Master said, “It is only the most intelligent and the most stupid who are not susceptible to change.”
— The Analects, Yanghuo, 17.3
These chapters, along with “men are nearly alike by nature, but wide apart by practice,” collectively form the comprehensive Confucian view on human nature and education. They all emphasize the decisive impact of later learning, education, and environment on individuals, rejecting absolute innate fatalism. Whether emphasizing the universalization of education (“no class distinctions”), acknowledging human plasticity (where the exception of the “most intelligent and most stupid” highlights the mutability of the majority), or Confucius’ humble expression of being “learned through effort,” they all corroborate the core concept of “getting wide apart by practice.” That is, a person’s achievements and moral character are primarily determined by later cultivation and effort.
子曰：「性相近也，習相遠也。」
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