近年來關於荀子學及氣學思想的研究正方興未艾，對兩者之思想交涉也多所著墨，不過荀學與明代氣學間的思想異同，則尚未有較為深入之系統專論。雖然對於人性善惡的見解不盡相同，王廷相的氣學思想其實與荀子頗有相通之處：首先，兩人都強調心必須澄明、靜定，也皆注重能作出判斷與抉擇的「智性」；第二，兩人皆認為「積累」此心知之智，是合內外之道以成善的關鍵；最後，兩人都反對回歸純善本性，強調應使不善之人性發展為至善，因此都看重能導引人性向善之「教」。明代另一位氣學家吳廷翰，同樣強調心知須在事上作工夫的格物致知與道問學之說，重視隨事積累以貫通達理，因此反對回歸並不存在之超越事物之上的性，其思想傾向和王廷相與荀子皆有所近似。故本文認為明代反對理學、心學的氣學思想，其實與先秦的荀子學遙相呼應，是孟子和理學、心學以外的另一脈儒學。

In recent years, researches on Xunzis' philosophy, the theory of Qi, and relationship between the two are in the ascendant. There is still not a specialized dissertation between Xunzi's philosophy and the theory of Qi in Ming Dynasty. Wang Ting-Xiang and Wu Ting-Han were the representatives of Qi theory in Ming Dynasty, the theories which they had advocated to turn evil human nature to kindness were similar to Xunzi's. For example, they had emphasized the mind must be calm and concentrated that people could use wisdom to know the world. They had also valued the importance of moral accumulation and ritual education. All three had opposed to return the noumenon above things. We also discover the ideological trend of Xunzi,Wang Ting-Xiang and Wu Ting- Hans, is another important part of Confucianism.