The notion of acting in accordance with human nature first appears in The Doctrine of the Mean, a section of The Book of Rites. According to this text, all humans possess an innate virtuous quality that originates from heaven. People should follow and give full play to this heavenly bestowed virtue and realize it in their words and deeds. Behavior in keeping with this inherent nature constitutes a person’s virtuous quality. Later scholars regarded this virtuous nature as the heavenly law manifested in human nature. Acting in accordance with human nature was therefore seen as following the heavenly law.

What heaven has bestowed upon people is called human nature. Acting in accordance with this moral nature is called the Way (dao); cultivation of this moral nature is called education.

（The Book of Rites ）