Mencius
Mencius (c. 372 BC – 289 BC), courtesy name Ke (名轲), courtesy name Ziyu , was a native of Zou County , Shandong ( present-day Zou County , Shandong) . He was a re-disciple of Confucius's grandson Kong Ling.
According to legend, he was a descendant of the noble prince Qingfu of the Luguoji surname, whose father's name was Ji and the mother of the zhǎng clan. Mencius was a great thinker, educator, and representative of the Confucian school during the Warring States period. Together with Confucius, he was called "Confucius Andmeng".
Representative works include "Fish I Want", "Get More Help, Lose the Way and Widow help", "Born in Sorrow, Die in Comfort", "Wang Gu left and right", "He" has been compiled into junior high school language textbooks, and "Widows in the Country" has been compiled into high school Language textbooks.
Politically, Mencius advocated the rule of law and benevolence; theoretically, he admired Confucius and opposed Yang Zhu and Mo Zhai. He advocated benevolent government, put forward the people-oriented idea of "the people are noble and the king is light", traveled to Qi, Song, Teng, Wei, Lu and other countries, and emulated Confucius in promoting his own political ideas, which lasted for more than 20 years. However, Mencius's doctrine of benevolence was considered "far and wider than things" and was not implemented.
Attached are 20 classic quotes from Mencius
1. Neither can the two be combined, nor can he who gives up the fish and takes the bear's paw.
From Mencius, "Confessions". If you can't get it at the same time, you will abandon the fish and choose the bear's paw. This phrase is used as a metaphor for choosing the important one when there is a contradiction in what you want.
2. The people are noble, the society is secondary, and the king is light.
From Mencius. The people are the most important, followed by the Jiangshan Sheji, and the monarch is the lightest.
3. Zhou Yuli cannot be killed in a fierce year, and Zhou Yude cannot be chaotic in the evil world.
From Mencius. In the year of peace, you can accumulate wealth, but in the year of famine, you will not be embarrassed, you can pay attention to moral cultivation in peacetime, and you will not feel confused in the chaotic world.
4. He who is an adult, does not lose his pure heart.
From Mencius. Those great people are some childlike people.
5. Indecent courtesy, unrighteous righteousness, adults do.
From Mencius. A gentleman who is not in accordance with etiquette, who is not moral, and who is virtuous, will not do these things.
6. The old man and the old man; the young man, and the young man, and the young man.
From Mencius Liang Hui Wang Shang. Respect your own elders, and then respect the elders of others. Love your children, and then love the children of the whole world. If we can do this, then we are dedicating our love to society and taking the first step to becoming morally upright people.
7. He who enjoys the people' pleasures will also enjoy themselves; and those who are worried about the people will also be worried about them.
From Mencius, King Hui of Liang. The monarch will take the happiness of the people of the world as his own happiness. The people will also take the happiness of the king as their own happiness. The monarch regards his own troubles as his own troubles, and his subjects will also regard the troubles of the monarch as their own troubles.
8. Rejoice in the world, worry about the world, but those who are not kings have not yet.
From Mencius, King Hui of Liang. Only when the ruler can enjoy with the people can he truly love the lives of the people. When the people are no longer worried about life, old age, illness and death, they will obey the management, "from it is light", and realize the "royal way" proposition.
9. If you don't follow the rules, you can't make a square circle... Not with six laws, not with five tones... Without benevolent government, we cannot rule the world peacefully.
From Mencius. Without the use of compasses, curved rulers, there is no way to draw circles and squares... Without using the rhythm of the corrected instrument, the scale cannot be corrected... If we do not exercise benevolent government for the people of the world, we will not be able to rule the world peacefully. This sentence means that everything must be done according to certain rules, standards and principles.
10. He who gains the kingdom without mercy has it, and he who has not been merciful has won the world.
From Mencius. There are such things for those who do not practice benevolence and righteousness, but who have obtained a nation. But such a thing as gaining the whole world without practicing benevolence and righteousness will never happen.
11. Nourish your heart and be good at widowhood.
From Mencius. The best way to cultivate the heart is to be pure by restraining desires.
12. If you do not believe in benevolence, the kingdom is empty; if it is disrespectful, it is chaotic; if there is no government affair, it will be insufficiently used.
From Mencius. If you do not trust the virtuous, the country will be empty. Without etiquette, the relationship between the top and the bottom will be chaotic. Without good government, the country's money will be insufficient.
13. Do not hide anger, do not complain.
From Mencius, Ten Thousand Chapters. There is no resentment, and there is no resentment.
14. Shame is not like a man, but if a man has.
From Mencius. If you are not as good as others, and you are not ashamed, how can you compare with others?
15. I know that I am not satisfied and are not satisfied.
From Mencius, "Confessions". Without going to the size of the foot, go weave straw shoes, and I know he won't weave baskets. This sentence shows that doing things should be deduced from the same kind of people
16. If you want to rule the world peacefully, in this world, give up who I am.
From "Mencius Gongsun Ugly". If you want to make the balance of the world, when today, who else but me?
17. Shun, who is it? Who, who? The same is true of those who have done so.
From Mencius Teng Wen Gongshang. Shun, what kind of person is he? What kind of person am I? Accomplished people will be like Shun.
18. The great masters will follow the rules, and the scholars will follow the rules.
From Mencius, "Confessions". A wise carpenter teaches that people must follow the rules, and those who study must also follow the rules. This sentence emphasizes that there are rules for everything, and only by strictly abiding by the rules can we teach people well and do things well.
19. Flowing water is also a thing, not Yingke. The gentleman's ambition is also in the Tao, and it is not up to the mark.
From Mencius. If the pit is not filled, the water will not flow forward; a gentleman who is inspired to know the way of the saints cannot attain the state of the saints without certain achievements.
20. The ancient set of great achievements, the golden sound and the jade zhenzhi. The golden voice is also the beginning of the organization; the jade zhen is also the final organization.
From Mencius Under the Ten Thousand Chapters. Golden sound and jade zhenzhi: The finger music begins with the sound of a bell and ends with a chime. The so-called collection is like playing music, starting from the ringing of the bell and ending with the hitting of the chime. The bell begins in an orderly manner, and the chime ends in an orderly manner. Mencius believed that Confucius was a "man of great achievements". That is to say, a wise thinker and a wise politician should be a "collective" person.
Text/Tian Huaiyou
Tian Huaiyou, a native of Qingdao, Shandong. He is a member of Qingdao Writers Association, Shandong Prose Literature Society, and China Prose Literature Society. His works have been published in domestic newspapers and online platforms.