(1) The role of education: Everyone attaches importance to the role of education in social development and personal growth.

(2) Educational purpose: Everyone thinks that cultivating ruling talents is the highest goal of education.

(3) Educational content: Everyone emphasizes that moral education is an important aspect of educational content.

2. Differences:

(1) theory of human nature: Mencius affirmed the theory of "goodness of human nature" and thought that human beings were born with four "good ends": benevolence, righteousness, courtesy and wisdom. Xunzi affirmed the theory of evil nature. He believes that human nature is a natural attribute that people are born with, and completely excludes any acquired human factors.

(2) Teaching thought: Mencius advocated "internal development" and Xunzi preferred "external development".

(3) Learning and thinking: Mencius emphasized "thinking" and advocated complacency and concentration in further study; Xunzi advocated "learning" more.

(4) Attitude towards the monarch: Mencius advocated the theory of "benevolent government". Mencius: "The people are the most important, the country is the second, and the monarch is the light", thus putting forward the famous idea of "the monarch is lighter than the people".

Extended data

Mencius (372-289 BC), a native of Shandong in the middle of the Warring States Period, was a student of Zisi, who inherited and promoted Confucius' thoughts. The study of Zisi and Mencius was called Meng Si School by later generations. Mencius worshipped Confucius all his life and claimed to be the defender of Confucius' way. His experience was very similar to that of Confucius. He gathered disciples to give lectures all his life, traveled around the world and lived in Jixia Academy. Although it was treated with courtesy by monarchs of various countries, it was never taken seriously, and he wrote and gave lectures in his later years. Mencius advocated "benevolent government", took "people-oriented" as the core, and won the hearts of the people by means of education. Mencius, written by Mencius himself, is the main material to study his educational thought. He advocates that learning should be enjoyable, step by step, combined with extensive knowledge, dedicated and persistent. This paper explains Mencius' educational thought from its theoretical basis, educational purpose, educational function and teaching methods.

Xunzi (3 13-238 BC), a native of Zhao at the end of the warring States period, was the last master of Confucianism in the pre-Qin period. Xunzi teenagers read poetry books and travel around the world. He has been giving lectures for a long time, and he is the "most teacher" and was awarded the title of "Doctor Lie" by the monarch of Qi State. Xunzi once wrote Xunzi, advocating "benevolence and righteousness" and "understanding etiquette", attaching importance to the role of education, advocating "the combination of learning and thinking, the integration of knowledge and practice" and "being proficient in learning is the most important". This paper explains Xunzi's educational thought from its theoretical basis, educational purpose, educational function and teaching methods, and compares it with Mencius' educational thought.