Skip to main content
Log in

A Note on the Xunzi’s Explanation of Xing

Dao Aims and scope Submit manuscript

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • An, Jimin 安继民. 2006. Xunzi 荀子. Zhengzhou 郑州: Zhongzhou Guji Chubanshe 中州古籍出版社.

  • Graham, A. C. 1990. “The Background of the Mencian Theory of Human Nature.” In Studies in Chinese Philosophy and Philosophical Literature. Albany: State University of New York Press.

  • Lau, D.C., and Chen, F.C., eds. 1996. A Concordance to the Xunzi 荀子逐字索引. Hong Kong: The Commercial Press 商務印書館. References to the text of the Xunzi are according to the numbering system of the concordance (chapter/page/line).

  • Liang, Tao 梁涛. 2007. “The Tradition of ‘Using Sheng to Discuss Xing’ and the Mencian Theory that Human Nature is Good「以生言性」的传统与孟子性善论.” Zhexue Yanjiu 哲学研究 7: 36–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liao, Jilang 廖吉郎. 2002. A New Edition of the Xunzi 新編荀子. Taibei 台北: Guoli Bianyiguan 國立編譯館.

  • Liao, Mingchun 廖明春. 1994. A New Exploration of Xunzi 荀子新探. Taibei 台北: Wenjin Chubanshe 文津出版社.

  • Munro, Donald J. 2001. The Concept of Man in Early China. Reprint edition. Michigan Classics in Chinese Studies 6. Ann Arbor: The Center for Chinese Studies (University of Michigan).

  • Robins, Dan. 2001. The Debate over Human Nature in Warring States China. PhD dissertation.

  • _____. 2001–02. “The Development of Xunzi’s Theory of Xing, Reconstructed on the Basis of a Textual Analysis of Xunzi 23, ‘Xing E’ 性惡 (Xing is Bad).” Early China 26–27: 99–158.

  • _____. 2011. “The Warring States Concept of Xing.” Dao 10(1): 31–51.

  • Tang, Siu-Fu 鄧小虎. 2008. “The Multi-layered Structure of the Concepts of Nature (Xing) and Artifice (Wei) in the Xunzi 《荀子》中「性」與「偽」的多重結構.” NTU Philosophical Review 國立臺灣大學哲學論評 36: 1–28.

  • Zhang, Jue 张觉. 1995. An Annotated Translation of the Xunzi 荀子译注. Shanghai 上海: Shanghai Guji Chubanshe 上海古籍出版社.

Download references

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank An Jimin 安继民, P.J. Ivanhoe, Aaron Stalnaker, Justin Tiwald, Stephen Walker, and Wang Ling-kang 王靈康 for discussion of the issues covered in this essay.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eric L. Hutton.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hutton, E.L. A Note on the Xunzi’s Explanation of Xing 性. Dao 10, 527–530 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11712-011-9248-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11712-011-9248-8

Keywords

Navigation