Xunzi, named Kuang, a native of the State of Zhao during the late Warring States period, was a renowned ancient Chinese philosopher. He opposed the concept of fate, disbelieved in ghosts and gods, and argued that nature operates according to its own laws, with human strength capable of mastering heaven. He advocated adapting measures to local conditions, aligning seasonal changes with agriculture, and unleashing human talent to promote the growth and transformation of all things—views that were remarkably progressive for his time.
Xunzi, a renowned educator of ancient China, wrote an essay titled "Encouraging Learning," using vivid metaphors to urge people to study diligently and persistently, with many of his insights being profound and thought-provoking.
The essay begins by stating that education and the pursuit of knowledge must never be abandoned. Just as the dye indigo is extracted from the indigo plant yet produces a color deeper than the plant itself, this serves as a metaphor for students surpassing their teachers or successors surpassing their predecessors. This is the meaning behind the saying, "Indigo is extracted from the indigo plant, yet it is bluer than the plant."
Xunzi used the metaphor of carving metal and stone to illustrate that learning requires persistence and unwavering effort. He wrote, "If you carve and then stop, even rotten wood cannot be cut through; but if you carve without ceasing, even the hardest metal and stone can be engraved." Thus, people should adopt the spirit of "carving without giving up" in their studies, and success will surely follow.
In his essay "Encouraging Learning," Xunzi wrote, "Without accumulating half-steps, you cannot reach a thousand li; without gathering small streams, you cannot form rivers and seas." He meant that you cannot travel a thousand li without walking step by step, nor can rivers and seas form without the convergence of countless small streams. This serves as a metaphor that learning is a gradual process of daily accumulation, and profound knowledge is built up bit by bit. His insights are still frequently quoted in education today.
Later, the idiom "Carving Without Ceasing" came to describe persistent and unyielding effort.
Source: *Xunzi*, Chapter "Encouraging Learning"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "锲而不舍" came to describe persistent and unyielding effort.