Social Customs
306. Bad social customs can bring a far greater destruction to the five moral relationships 25 than the invasion of foreign enemies and bandits, as foreign invasions do not last long and their damages are but temporary.
Scroll 50: Bao Pu Zi
307. If a ruler loves and cares for his relatives to preserve harmony, extends his fraternal affection to virtuous men without deserting them, and never forgets his old friends, then the virtue of the people will return to its simple kindness.
Scroll 3: Mao Shi
308. If everybody in the country contravened codes of morality and righteousness to pursue personal benefits, this should unquestionably be the greatest concern for a ruler.
Scroll 25: Wei Zhi, Vol. 1
309. While great men like Shang Yang, Han Fei , Sunzi and Wu Qi knew very well that humans are inclined to acquire material wealth out of greed and are also keen to pursue social status, these great men were not aware that people need to be educated to enhance their morality.
Hence, they used punishment to control the people, conferred honors to motivate them, and encouraged them to rely on sheer power to rival one another. The sole reliance on power to dominate would reach a point when people would defy all odds just for the sake of personal benefits. If everyone adopts this kind of selfish mentality, the innate kindness of mankind would be lost.
Scroll 49: Fu Zi