Mengzi (given name Meng Ke) is considered as one third of the three key figures in Confucianism (alongside Confucius and Xunzi). He lived from approximately 310-235 BCE during China's Warring States period in the state of Zhao.
His teachings were compiled by disciples into the book Mencius, which is regarded as one of the "Four Books" of Confucianism along with the Analects, Great Learning, and Doctrine of the Mean.
Key ideas of Mencius/Mengzi
Mencius expanded on Confucian ideas about human nature, ethics, and governance, helping to shape Confucianism into a more fully developed philosophical and political system.
Here are some of his philosophical contributions that remain relevant in everyday life:
In particular, his view is that humans have the tendency and ability to be good if they are raised in a conducive environment.
He further proposed that humans are born with "four beginnings" or innate moral tendencies, and have the innate capability to hold ‘moral’ emotions that represent these virtues.
Therefore, turning ‘bad’ is not a result of an innate bad constitution, but of one’s moral failure to cultivate moral rightness from the sprouts of human being's innate tendency for goodness.
Mencius/Mengzi's Four Innate Virtues
According to Mencius, there are four innate moral tendencies or "beginnings" (siduan 四端) that all humans possess:
Compassion/Benevolence (仁 ren) - The feeling of affection, empathy and compassionate concern for others' wellbeing. Mencius gives the example of immediately feeling alarmed upon seeing a child about to fall into a well and acting appropriately in response i.e. saving the child.
Shame/Righteousness (義 yi) - The sense of shame and dislike towards improper behaviour. This relates to having a moral compass and feeling ashamed of wrongdoing.
Respect/Propriety (禮 li) - The feeling of deference and respect, especially towards elders and social norms. This relates to courtesy and following social etiquette.
Wisdom (智 zhi) - The ability to distinguish right from wrong. This relates to moral reasoning and judgment.
Mencius also suggests that wisdom and propriety are secondary in importance to benevolence and righteousness. As he states:
"The core of benevolence is serving one's parents. The core of righteousness is obeying one's elder brother. The core of wisdom is knowing these two and not abandoning them. The core of propriety is to regulate and adorn these two."
This indicates benevolence and righteousness are foundational, with wisdom and propriety building upon them.
Other virtues, such as courage, are simply supplementary examples of these cardinal virtues.
Putting the welfare of people first
Mencius advocated for benevolent rule and argued that a government's legitimacy comes from the welfare of the people.
He emphasized that the people are the most important element in a country, more important than the ruler. He stated "The people are the most important element [in a country]; the spirits of the land and grain are the next; the ruler is the lightest."
In present-day context, this implies a people-first approach to any form of governance where meeting the needs of the people is the priority.
Cultivation of moral sprouts
While believing in innate goodness, Mencius stressed the importance of education and self-cultivation to fully develop one's moral nature. He saw morality as something that needs to be actively nurtured.
Mencius uses the metaphor of moral sprouts or seeds that need nurturing to describe this educational process. For a plant to grow, it is necessary that the plant is provided with the required ingredients, andthat the plant is provided with a healthy environment.
Likewise, wisdom has to be cultivated under proper guidance, nurturing and the right environment, as opposed to the mere ‘knowing’ facts about good conduct. It is the former that will promote the internalisation of the virtues.
However, unlike Xunzi, who advocated for a more authoritarian educational model based on ‘grinding’ and ‘honing’ against one’s nature, Mengzi’s educational model is more ‘liberal’ and is based on self-discovery with the help of the right environment.