荀子與后期法家(李斯、韓非等)的關系,是一個重要的哲學史課題。荀子對法家人物采取批評的態度,對法家的法、術、勢理念也并不認同,是能守住儒家之為儒家的根本價值的。誠然,荀子構建的制度化禮學,包含有一種強勢性和僵化的可能,所以是"大醇而小疵"。而后期法家雖然對儒學進行過系統學習,但因根本出發點的不同,反而以此為資源來排斥儒家,并建構了法家自身的理論。因此,荀子和法家之間更多的是距離感,而不是親和關系;荀子當為"法儒"而不是"儒法"。

The relationship between Xunzi and later Legalists is an important issue in Chinese philosophy. Xunzi’s attitude towards the Legalists is critical,and he did not agree with their concepts of law( 法),method( 術),and power( 勢). Moreover,although a Confucian,he absorbed some ideas from Legalism,making his concept of ritual( 禮) have a tendency towards despotism. Later Legalists were students of the Confucianschool,but due to having a different starting point,they used its resources to reject Confucianism. Thus,the relationship between Xunzi and the Legalists is not one of affinity but of repulsion.