春秋戰國是社會大變革時期，諸子各派皆圍繞國家治亂問題展開論述，尤其將政治倫理化的儒家，其內在「倫理體系」主張與外在作為治國規範的「禮」，有著密切關係。在《荀子》中，「禮」字出現342次，涉及多方面意涵。相比《論語》、《孟子》主要以「仁」釋「禮」，視「禮」為「天理」在人文社會中具體的物化示現；《荀子》則提倡「聖王制禮」一說，強調人的主體性，呈現有別於《論》、《孟》的一套禮學思想。因此，本文有意以《荀子》「禮」論為研究重心，並與《孟子》有關「禮」的論述進行比對，探討《荀子》的「禮」論本源與《孟子》的既定立場看法之差異。並且，嘗試剖析這些差異的產生之特定意義。

Confucian thought has been much preoccupied with li （「禮」） as a means for the realization of the ideal of dao （「道」）. Li is a rich and fluid notion with a long history of evolution. In the Analects and Mengzi, the inner aspect of the li-performance pertains to ren （「仁」）, embracing a variety of moral attitudes, dispositions, and emotions, whereas the outer aspect pertains to the underlying vision of the unity and harmony of humanity and tian （「天」）. Which means, both Analects and Mengzi consider moral ethics as an autonomous ethics of virtue. However, Xunzi takes li-performance as the result of conscious activity wei（「偽」）. In Xunzi, an explicit concern with rational coherence in ethical discourse, in particular an emphasis on the unity of ren, li and yi （「義」）. The essay will aim at analyzing the evolution and functions of li towards Mengzi and Xunzi.