or Hsün-tzu
born 0441; 300, Zhao kingdom, China
died 0441; 230 BCE, Lanling, Chu kingdom
Chinese scholar and philosopher.
He belonged to the academy of philosophy in the state of Qi before becoming magistrate of a district in Chu in 255. His major work, the Xunzi , taught that humanity is evil by nature and can become good only through rigorous training. This view provoked much controversy because it opposed the teachings of Mencius , who believed in innate human goodness. Xunzi's teachings were later eclipsed when the Mencius became a Confucian classic. Xunzi is regarded as one of the three great philosophers of the classical period of Confucianism in China.