本文根據《論語》中與人性論有關的材料，無論其為直接述及、間接暗示、引為前提或列為推論，皆仔細省思探討，務求勾畫出清晰的眉目。先由「經驗的觀察」，剖析孔子所見所評之客觀事實，並以「三年之喪」為理解契機；再就「理論的建構」，說明人性向善與擇善固執的意義。基本觀點是：一、人由「本我、心、血氣」組成。二、人性乃指本我而言，本我即是向善的力量，其呈顯及實現是恒在的要求。三、向善的善是指「人與人之間適當關係之實現」，因此不能離開「二人為仁」的這個仁字。四、仁字所指乃是人之「性、道、成」；性為向善，道為擇善，成為至善。本我將此三者貫串起來，除了表現橫側面的人間關懷，亦展示了縱側面的天人關係，由此構成孔子人性論的全貌。

The topic of human nature in Confucianism is notoriously controversial. One way to clarify this issue is to return to Confucius. Basing on relevant materials of the Analects, this essay first deals with empirical observations of Confucius and takes “the three-year mourning period” conversation as the key to the formulation of a new interpretation of human nature in Confucius thought; then, it goes on to articulate a theory which regards human nature as tending towards goodness and the correct way of human being as choosing what is good and holding it fast. The basic points of view may be summed up as follows : (1) human being is composed of original ego, heart-mind, and physical body; (2) human nature consists in original ego which is a dynamism tending towards goodness; (3) goodness denotes the realization of proper relationships between humans and is thus connected with the term “jen”; (4) “jen” means a threefold manifestation of human being, that is, the human nature which is tending towards goodness, the human way which is to choose goodness and hold it fast, and the human perfection which culminates in the supreme goodness. The horizontal dimension of human nature can be fully affirmed in the present essay while its vertical dimension leaves open and this requires another discussion.