Xunzi is a collection of political writings by the late Warring States period educator and philosopher Xun Zi (荀子), who was one of the three great Confucians; the other two were Confucius and Mencius. Xun Zi is the common appellation for the philosopher whose full name was Xun Kuang. Xun Zi, a native of Zhao, became a well-recognized scholar and rose to official posts, including that of magistrate. He wandered around to persuade statesman to a better style of policy.

In reaction to some of the other thinkers of the time, Xun Zi articulated a systematic version of Confucianism that encompasses ethics, metaphysics, political theory, philosophy of language, and a highly developed philosophy of education. He developed a systematic doctrine mostly oriented on "realism" and "materialism", as opposed to Mencius' interpretation of Confucius' thought. He defends his own interpretation of the Confucian position and attacks the positions of others.

Xun Zi assumes that the true nature of man is evil, and every good side of man is only achieved by his own efforts in learning, cultivating and practicing the Confucian moral norms and rules. He is known for his belief that ritual is crucial for reforming humanity's original nature. Ritual is thus an integral part of a stable society. Social discipline is only obtained by ritual norms, which are orders of the traditionally proper, hierarchically arranged behavior. Division of labor and arrangement in social steps are essential, objective and rational instruments of social order that are able to ensure social security. Worldly order is only a part of a natural, universal order that especially is laid upon the ruler who has to take upon him the task to be moral paradigm for everybody. The social position that everybody occupies is a theoretical equalization, because everybody is confined in his own position, but a real inequality of high and low classes of people. A very important task in this ritual net of Xun Zi was the rectification of names, an undertaking that is essential to ensure social stability. Xunzi critically summarized the academic thinking of the naive materialism of ancient China and was against the belief of the mandate of heaven and blind worship of the supernatural. Besides praising the Earlier Kings, Xun zi initiated the idea of being modeled on the Later Kings, which was different from Confucius and Mencius.

Xun Zi focused on humanity's part in creating the roles and practices of an orderly society, and gave a much smaller role to Heaven or Nature as a source of order or morality than most other thinkers of the time. His unsentimental and authoritarian inclinations were developed by his students Li Si and Han Feizi into the doctrine embodied in the School of Law, or Legalism. Within the early Chinese tradition, Xunzi's writings are arguably the most sophisticated and philosophically developed. This richness of philosophical content has led to a lively discussion of his philosophy among contemporary scholars. The influence of legist thinking that was far more concrete for daily policy than the ideals of the early Confucians. Although his thought was later considered to be outside of Confucian orthodox, it was still very influential in China and remains a source of interest today.