Quote by Xunzi: “Human nature is evil, and its goodness is acquired.”

Xunzi famously argued that humans are born with selfish tendencies and that moral behavior is a product of education, ritual, and strict societal influence. This challenges the Mencian view of innate goodness, emphasizing the necessity of continuous self-cultivation and strict guidance for virtue.

Writing during the turbulent Warring States period, Xunzi's philosophy provided a strong argument for rigorous legal and educational systems to control human impulses and establish social order, contrasting with idealist views of human nature.

Chinese Confucian philosopher who lived approximately 312–230 BCE and argued against Mencius that human nature is inherently self-interested and must be shaped by education and ritual. His thought influenced the Legalist school that guided the Qin dynasty's unification of China. His collected essays are a major text of Chinese classical philosophy.