Mencius is known for his view that human nature (xing) is good while Xunzi is known for his view that human nature (xing) is evil. What are the substantive differences between Mencius’ and Xunzi’s ethical thinking that are conveyed through these two slogan-like statements, and what are the implications of such differences for other aspects of their ethical thinking? Some examples of related sub-themes are: the different ways in which they defend traditional social practices, their different views on the self-cultivation process, and their different views on the role of sages and moral teachers. Read the relevant parts of the Mencius and the Xunzi carefully, and substantiate your claims with references to relevant parts of the texts.(sources should not be direct quotes but should just be references to the texts)
