Xunzi's view is close to materialism, opposing the theory of destiny and putting forward the view that man can conquer nature. Politically, Xunzi believed that propriety and righteousness should go hand in hand with the rule of law and advocated governing the country according to law. On the issue of human nature, Xunzi advocated the theory of evil nature. He believes that human nature can be transformed into evil and emphasizes the influence of acquired environmental factors on people.
Xunzi especially emphasized the influence of learning on people. He believes that people's quality is acquired through acquired education and study, and he wrote his work "Persuade to Learn" to encourage people to learn. In addition, he also made a very important contribution to the collation of Confucian classics and promoted the development of Confucianism to a certain extent.
Extended data:
Xunzi's position in the Confucian system can be understood from the following three aspects:
1. Xunxue has the spirit of academic criticism and inclusive consciousness, which embodies the historical trend of academic integration during the Warring States Period. No matter from which point of view, the academic history and ideological history value of Xunzi is worth exploring.
2. Xunzi made a great contribution to the teaching of Confucian classics. Confucianism in Han Dynasty originated not only from Xunzi, but also from the study of The Book of Songs and even the Spring and Autumn Annals.
3. Xunzi pays attention to the changes in the real world and is full of dedication. Xunzi gave lectures in Qi, served as an official in Chu, discussed soldiers in Zhao, discussed politics in Yan and discussed customs in Qin, which had no influence on the society at that time. This shows that he is still trying to expand the political space of Confucianism on the premise of adhering to the basic beliefs of Confucianism.
References:
Baidu encyclopedia-Xunzi