叶适对荀子虽多有批判，但在思想本质上仍继承其礼治主义的精神。两者的关系可以从三个方面去认识：(1)都属于儒家传统中的非主流派，其思想本旨和历史影响均着重在政治建设的领域；(2)都兼具现实理性和道德信仰；(3)都建立在对同时代诸家思想批判融通的基础上。荀子的本旨是把君王在内的所有社会成员都纳入到礼治结构之中，但是实践的最高权限在君王身上，因而在历史进程中不可避免地异变为君权专制。董仲舒等人企图借“天”的权威来制约君权，作结构性的补救；叶适则批判专权，予以修正；后来黄宗羲等人又发展出朴素的民主思想。由此脉络也可见叶适和荀子的思想关系。 Ye Shi, although more critique of Xunzi, but in essence still follow the spirit of his rule of thought. The relationship between the two can be recognized in three aspects: (1) Non-mainstream schools all belong to the Confucian tradition, and their essence of ideology and historical influence are all emphasized in the field of political construction; (2) Both of them have both practical rationality and moral beliefs ; (3) are based on the criticism and fusion of the contemporaries of various ideologies. Xunzi’s purpose is to include all the members of the society, including the kings, in the ritual structure. However, the highest authority of practice is on the monarch, and therefore it inevitably turns into monarchy during the course of history. Dong Zhongshu and others attempted to restrict the sovereignty by the authority of “the heaven” as a structural remedy; Ye Shih criticized the special right and amended it; and later Huang Zongxi and others developed the simple democratic thought. This vein also shows Ye Xi and Xun Zi’s ideological relationship.