Q0365
“Seeing the good, be earnest to preserve it in yourself; seeing the…” — Xunzi (Xunzi, Cultivating Oneself)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Xunzi, Cultivating Oneself. Theme: self.
English
Seeing the good, be earnest to preserve it in yourself; seeing the not-good, be anxious to examine yourself.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Xunzi, Cultivating Oneself and files it under Confucianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Xunzi
Xunzi (Xun Kuang, c. 310–c.
How to read this passage
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self, good.
Concepts in this quote
- Self
- Philosophy quotes about self explore identity, responsibility, and the examined life—from Socrates’ unexamined life to modern phenomenology and existential authenticity.
- Good
- Good appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat good as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Xunzi. (n.d.). Seeing the good, be earnest to preserve it in yourself; seeing the not-good, be anxious to examine yourself. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0365
MLA: Xunzi. “Seeing the good, be earnest to preserve it….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0365.
Chicago: Xunzi. “Seeing the good, be earnest to preserve it….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0365.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Seeing the good, be earnest to preserve it…”?
The passage is attributed to Xunzi, Xunzi, Cultivating Oneself. The archive attributes this English wording to Xunzi, Cultivating Oneself and files it under Confucianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Xunzi mean by self?
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self, good.