Quote by Xunzi: “Learning never stops. Blue dye is gotten from the indigo plant, yet it is bluer than the plant itself.”

Xunzi emphasizes lifelong learning and self-improvement, using the metaphor of indigo dye to show that continuous effort can elevate one beyond their original potential. This illustrates that through dedicated study and practice, individuals can surpass their natural endowments and achieve greater wisdom and moral excellence.

In the Warring States period, education was seen as vital for creating effective administrators and moral citizens. Xunzi's philosophy stressed the transformative power of learning and ritual to overcome inherent human weaknesses and cultivate virtue.

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.