In Chinese, "Xun Zi" refers to both the philosopher and the book he is attributed to. In this article, the book is spelled "the Xunzi"

Xún Zǐ or Hsün Tzu (荀子; c.310–237 BCE) was a Chinese philosopher who lived during the Warring States Period. His social and political theories are developed from and influenced by Confucianism. Active during the Hundred Schools of Thought, he wrote a book known as the Xunzi, in which he developed a systematic doctrine mostly oriented on realism and materialism, as opposed to Mencius' interpretation of Confucius' thought.

Xun Zi was born in the state of Zhao, going to the state of Qi as a young man to study. He taught that man is innately selfish and evil and that the natural state of human societies is anarchy, endless war and chaos. He was one of the first thinkers to teach that morality is a social institution and debated on the difference between nature and nurture. Xun Zi also said that goodness is attainable only through education and conduct befitting one's status. 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.

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