The ancient Confucian philosopher Hsun Tzu once expounded a similar line of reasoning: "Gentlemen consider it the way of man; the people take it for the affairs of ghosts."
荀子曾說：「聖人明知之，士君子安行之，官人以為守，百姓以成俗。其在君子，以為人道也，其在百姓，以為鬼事也。」可見古代的風俗儀式是安定社會的重要方式。