本文探討〈苟子〉與〈呂氏春秋〉書中「忠」和「忠信」概念之內涵，及其在戰國後期「忠」和「忠信」概念之演變中發揮的角色。戰園中期， í忠」概念受到來自「命運論」、「養生論J '以至接下學者所提出的政治社會思想的批評。〈苟子〉和〈呂氏春秋〉針對這樣的思想脈絡，一方面提倡「忠」概念的價值;另一方面也重新界定了「忠」概念的內酒。在〈苟子} í忠」觀的內容中，能顯現他的思想特色者，在於苟子大力提倡作為君德之「忠信」這一點。而在〈呂氏春秋〉中，作者在引證時將原先描述的「忠臣之悲劇」轉換成「忠臣救國」的故事，試圖勸勉君主一定要聽取「忠言」。與一般印象大不相同， <呂氏春秋〉的作者允許「臣下」擁有選擇「效忠」對象之自由，以保持「士」階層之主體性。

This artic1e aims to elucidate some significant aspects in the developmentof the Warring states' political thought by means of analyzing the conceptsof "zhong" (Loyalty) and "xin" (Trustworthiness) and their phi1osophicalsignificance in the Late Warring States thought. In the middle-late WarringStates' socio-political disputes, Daoists and Jixia Masters have criticizedthe value of zhong and xin as ethico-political value. On this criticismXunzi and the authors of the Lüshi chunqiu attempted to restore their valuefor establishing the wor1dwide ethical government. Xunzi emphasized theirvalue as one of cardinal virtues for the wor1d-ruler to deliver his love to theirsubjects. On the other hands, the authors of the Lüshi chunqiu defended thevalue of zhong as the moral ciriteria for hiring most loyal and sincere ministers.Nevertheless, in relation with the idea of phi1ial piety, the Lüshi chunqiuregarded the value of zhong as subordinate to it, the importance of zhonghas not been highlighted as much as in Xunzi's phi1osophy.