The Basic Content and Interpretive Logic of Xunzi's and Petrarch's Views on Virtue

Abstract

Xunzi was a famous thinker and statesman in ancient China, and one of the representative figures of Confucianism, who advocated the theory of the nature of evil, in opposition to Mencius' theory of the nature of good. He believed that all good and valuable things were the product of human effort. His ideas fully affirmed the value of human beings and the way they think, value and behave in their social environment. Petrarch founded the status of the humanist academic tradition and system of thought, establishing the humanities and enriching the doctrine of the human person. He advocated human nature and human dignity, fought for free will, attacked monastic asceticism and transformed the understanding of the relationship between divinity and man. Although they were in different historical times and had different life circumstances, yet they both attached equal importance to the shaping and cultivation of the concept of virtue and the pursuit of human self-transcendence. Using the literature review method and comparative analysis, it is possible to summarise the main statements on virtue in both Xunzi and Petrarch by reviewing their classic works. Further explore the differences between Xunzi's and Petrarch's views on the necessity of virtue and how it is acquired. The underlying logic in the construction of their views on virtue will be clarified in order to deepen the understanding of the times and social environment in which they lived and to fully explore the commonalities and differences between Chinese and Western cultures.