孔、孟、荀三哲均重禮，雖然孔子、孟子言禮已各有其理論特點，荀子仍是中國歷史上第一位有系統地論述「禮」問題的哲學家。總計《荀子》全書，共出現了約320次的「禮」，僅次於479次的「知」和330次的「道」。本文根據《荀子》一書，統整荀子禮論的結構包括：第一，禮的起源；第二，禮的三層意涵：（一）養－－養人之欲（二）別－－別等立差（三）表、中、準－－節之準也；第三，有義之禮作為禮之質－－禮義；第四，禮之文－－稱情而立文之禮。以此顯示荀子之「禮」乃兼重「文」與「質」，強調「文質彬彬」的君子之禮。最後，探討「荀子的禮適於作為人之本質嗎？」一問，以回應當今學者之論。

Confucius, Mencius and Xun Zi all stressed the importance of li (rite, propriety). Though Confucius and Mencius had their own special doctrines of li, Xun Zi was still the first philosopher in Chinese history that systematically addressed the issue of ”li.” In the book, Xun Zi, li occurred 320 times, only next to the 479 times of ”Zhi” (knowing, intellect) and the 330 times of ”tao.” In accordance with Xun Zi, this paper organizes the structure of Xun Zi's doctrine of li: first, the origin of li; second, the three levels of the meanings of li; third, li equipped yi as the essence of li; and fourth, the wen of li. Finally, we inquire whether Xun Zi's li is suitable essence of human beings in response to the opinions of contemporary scholars.