孔子言「攝禮歸仁」，以「禮」為一生活秩序，而一切秩序之具體內容（儀文），可依「理」而予以改變；禮的基礎是歸於自覺的，它也是文化秩序；禮就是一個「序」字，其餘一切涵義都統攝在「序」之中，「禮也者，理之不可以易者也」、「禮者，天地之序也」，荀子一脈相承孔子之禮教，主張「學至乎禮而止矣，夫是之謂道德之極」、「學惡乎始？惡乎終？曰：其數則始乎誦經，終乎讀禮」、｢禮者，法之大分，類之綱紀也」。荀子以「禮」，為「道德之極」、「人道之極」，其欲以「禮」作為人生行事之準則，從個人推而至於社會倫理政治亦莫不如此，他無疑是要將禮貫通「人道」，使之成為一涵攝道德秩序之形上道體；並由內到外作全面性關懷，於自然天地之客觀化與人為努力之形塑後，建構起禮治的社會。本文將從荀子的：一、禮的起源；二、「禮之三本」的意涵；三、禮的內容；四、禮的功用：定分以節養人欲；五、禮、法的關係；六、禮和樂教；以及荀子「禮」思想的價值等面向作一論述，並希冀從此一探究中能對荀子論「禮」的思想及其價值有扼要的理解。

Confucius considered ”propriety/li” as an order of living, while the concrete content of all orders could change in accordance with ”principle/li.” The origin of the foundation of ”propriety/li” is self-awareness; ”propriety/li” is also the order of culture. All in all, ”propriety/li” is nothing but order, while all the other immanence is categorized under ”order.” ”Propriety/li is the unchangeable principle/li.” ”Propriety/li is the order of heaven and earth.” As an heir of Confucius's doctrine of ”propriety/li,” Xun Zi asserted that propriety/li is the ”ultimate morality” and the ”ultimate humanism,” upholding ”propriety/li” as the guideline of demeanor in lives from the personal to the social, ethical and political levels. Without a doubt, his aim was to integrate ”propriety/li” into humanism, make it a metaphysical doctrine of moral order and, finally, construct a society that's ruled by propriety/li. This paper is to address Xun Zi's doctrine of ”propriety/li” through: first, the origin of propriety/li; second, the immanence of the ”three fundamental aspects of propriety/li;” third, the content of propriety/li; fourth, the function of ”propriety/li;” fifth, the relationship between propriety/li and law; and sixth, the education of propriety/li and music/yue. Besides, the writer will also demonstrate the value of Xun Zi's thought about ”propriety/li” in wishes to have a concise understanding about Xun Zi's philosophy of ”propriety/li” and its value.