Gentleman Outside Of History

This thesis explains the meaning of "way to be gentleman" and analyzes its development from internality to externality, then opens out Xunzi's individual understanding and interpretation about it. It tries to illuminate the ancient meaning of "gentleman" and endows this ideal personality with modern sense.As the representative of Confucianism in telophase of Warring States, Xunzi was influenced by the traditional conception of Confucianism. His elders, Confucious and Mencius, both affected Xunzi's thinking style. So at the beginning, the paper elaborated their core thinking and their initial comment in "way to be gentleman". They restricted the forming of Xunzi's thinking, and the "good human-nature theory" of Mencius gave more revealation to Xunzi. Xunzi raised "bad human nature theory", which is his core thinking.Xunzi's thinking is the emphasis, especially his theory about human nature and how to transform the human nature to human product. This is the premises of "way to be gentleman". In the base of well-understanding in Xunzi's theory, his training way about ideal personality was outlined, that is putting more emphasis on external criterion than internal training. He indicated that common one could be real "gentleman" as long as he practiced in some fields. And "continually learning" also had important guidance in social life.Xunzi's thinking put more influence on scholars in later ages and overseas, the thesis chooses two ideologists to illuminate it: his student Hanfei and Japanese scholar Ogyu Sorai. Hanfei brought forward "human relationship theory" after inheriting Legalism; Ogyu Sorai raised "public moral theory", emphasizing its importance in every aspect in society. Their personal views are all related with Xunzi's thinking.The paper in the end concludes the actual meaning of Xunzi's Gentleman Way and indicates this ideal personality's social function. It would make sense in establishing public moral guidance and enhancing the legal consciousness for all the people.