詮釋先秦儒學，孔孟荀的序列格局，似已成定論。本論文從老莊思想來析論荀子的 思想性格，試圖為學研究另開一扇門。 首先，對荀子學術性格做一思想史的考察。依《史記》〈孟子荀卿列傳〉，找出三大線索： 一是趙人，而三晉則是法家思想的出生地，二是游學於齊，而齊學則是陰陽家的重鎮，三是 適楚，而楚學則是道家思想的根土。他出身於趙，而游學入楚，故兼具法、陰陽與道三家的 色彩，成就其迴異孔孟而自成一家的儒學，他的政治思想，強調客觀規範而禮法並重，他的 天道人性觀，取自然義，卻在陰陽氣化的層次，他的心靈修養，取虛靜義，卻是橫攝的認知， 而不是縱貫的照現，凡此皆是揉合三家思想而歸結於儒的產物。 其次，再專從老莊道定析論荀子的思想性格。其一是天性情欲的們然義，天是自然現象 之天，如是天之就的性，性之質的情，情之應的欲，一體舖，僅成了實然的存在，且依價值 的現點，皆屬被治的對象，「天行有常」既失落了儒家的道德法則，又失落了道家的形上原理， 性不是性善，也沒有天真，價值根源在天性情欲之外，而在心知。心化性而起偽，偽起而生 禮義。此所謂的「生」，是虛壹而靜的認知構作，而不是天理良心的德行創造。 本論文詮表荀子的思想體系，重心安放在「化性而起偽」的析論上。認為天生而有的性， 涵有二義：一為情欲求，一為心知能。荀子以心知能之偽起生禮義的價值理序，來規範化成 情欲求的實然存在。問題在，荀子言「化性而起偽」，顯然化性起偽的先後，成了解釋的難題。 若從心也是性的一支而言，「化性」的第一義，是「心」本身之致虛守靜的修養工夫，因為虛 而能藏，靜而能察，而藏已非虛，察已不靜，故要做在藏中虛，在察中靜的自我解蔽的工夫； 而「化性」的第二義，則是指涉情欲求的性，在禮義之道的理序規範之下，消解因無度量分 界而引發之爭亂窮的惡。 最後，因心僅能認知，而不能創造或觀照，逼出價值根源當安立何處的根本問題。依荀 子的思想體系而言，當在禮凝之統。此一歷史文化的大體常體，被推上道德之極的高峰，做 為每一世代禮義之道的超越根據，心的虛靜認知，就在體「禮義之統」的常，而盡「禮義之 道」的變，此「體常而盡變」的認知構作，下開韓非法家，是為儒法之間的轉關。

　　　　　About the framework for evaluating the philosophy of Confucius, Mencius and Xunzi has now a common point of views. In order to open a new gate for the Xunzi study, this paper try to analyse the characteristic of Xunzi's thought through the sight of Laozi and Zhuangzi. Firstly I examine the characterisic of Xunzi's scholarship in the history of ideas. According to the "Biographies of Mencius and Xunzi" of ssuma Chien''s Records of the Grand Historian, there are three important clues to follow: 1.he is a burgher of Zhao, and the three kingdom states of Jin was the birthplace of legalism; 2.he made a study tour im Qi where is a important center for the Yin-Yang school, and 3.he at last went to Chu were was the ground for the rising of Daoism. To gather these three historical elements together he developed his version of Confucianism with the colors of legalism, Yin-Yang theory and Daoism. In the political thought he emphasized the objective norms, and also considered that the rite and law both are important. To the principle of Heaven (tian dao) and human nature (renxing) he took a naturalism which based on the level of becoming qi, but on the problem of self-cultivation he took a still attitude which unfold as a cognitive factulty with a horizntal perspective but not an illumination with vertical connection. I think that all these are the production which mix-up these three schools of Chinese philosophy to the Confucianism. Secondly, I try to analyse the characteristic of Xunzi's thought through the point of view of Laozi and Zhuangzi. One of the points is related to the naturalistic meaning of natural dispositions and desires. If Tian is a natural phenomenon, then the nature which is endowed from the Tian, the feelings which is treated as the qualities of nature and desires which are the responses to the feelings, all these become same, the tangible beings. From the point of view of value to see, all are the objects which are dominated. It will not only olse the heavenly permanent principles, the Confucian moral laws, but also the metaphysical principle of Daoism. Human nature is not more as good, it will have no more the innocent mind. The origin of values is not within the antural quality of human or desires, but in the cognitive mind. The mind transforms the human nature and makes up the artificials (wei/ things or actions which the man makes). When man dose or makes things, it will born or come into being the li and yi (social institutions and regulations). The word "born" here is not a creation of the principle of heaven or the conscience, but a cognitive construction of apathetic speculation. The point of emphasis of this paper is placed on the analysis of "transforming the human nature in order to make up the artificials". I am of the opinion that there are two meanings for the nature which is endowed from the heaven: the feelings want to require and the mind know what he can. Trying with the man-made value order of li and yi, Xunzi tried to regulate the mere being which is realized by the driving of the feelings. But there is a difficult question in the problem of "transforming the human nature," because we must distinguish the order of this Xunzi's idea. If xin (heart) is a part of xing (nature), then the first meaning of "transforming nature" is the efforts of cultivation in doing emptifing oneself and taking non-action. The reason for that is: It will take up, because it is empty, it can be seem, because it is calm. But when it is stored, no more empty: and one had seem, then no more non-act. Therefore we must take up things in empty and see without action, i.e. do an effort of self-unfolding. The second meaning of "transforming the human nature" is the nature which the feelings search for. It will resolve the evil which is caused by lacking measure and differentiation under the normative order of li and yi. At last, because the mind can be know only, but not create, therefore it is forced to rise the problem where the value can be begrounded. According to the System of Xunzi'sthought, if the tradition of li and yi is treated as the highest peak of moral or as the transcendental ground of the way of li and yi for every generation, then the empty-calm mind will experience the unchangeable of "the tradition of li and yi" and realize the becoming of "Dao of li and yi." The cognitive construction of this "experiencing the unchangable and realizing the becoming" opened the door for the legalism of Han Fei, therefore I would say Xunzi is a figure of turnpoint for the development from Confucianism to legalism.