Robert Asprin
American science fiction and fantasy author
Mencius
Chinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
Menciuswas a Chinese Confucian philosopher, often described as the Second Sageto reflect his traditional esteem relative to Confucius himself. He was part of Confucius’s fourth generation of disciples, inheriting his ideology and developing it further.
Table of Contents
Occupation
About the Mencius
Menciuswas a Chinese Confucian philosopher, often described as the Second Sageto reflect his traditional esteem relative to Confucius himself. He was part of Confucius’s fourth generation of disciples, inheriting his ideology and developing it further. Living during the Warring States period, he is said to have spent much of his life travelling around the states offering counsel to different rulers. Conversations with these rulers form the basis of the Mencius, which would later be canonised as a Confucian classic.
One primary principle of his work is that human nature is righteous and humane. The responses of citizens to the policies of rulers embodies this principle, and a state with righteous and humane policies will flourish by nature. The citizens, with freedom from good rule, will then allocate time to caring for their wives, brothers, elders, and children, and be educated with rites and naturally become better citizens. This placed him at odds with his near contemporary, Xunzi, who believed that human nature is evil by birth.
16 Quotes by Mencius
- 1.
It is not difficult to govern. All one has to do is not to offend the noble families.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 2.
Kindly words do not enter so deeply into men as a reputation for kindness.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 3.
We live, not as we wish to, but as we can.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 4.
Friendship is one mind in two bodies.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 5.
There is no greater delight than to be conscious of sincerity on self-examination.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 6.
Truth uttered before its time is always dangerous.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 7.
He who attends to his greater self becomes a great man, and he who attends to his smaller self becomes a small man.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 8.
If the king loves music, there is little wrong in the land.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 9.
Evil exists to glorify the good. Evil is negative good. It is a relative term. Evil can be transmuted into good. What is evil to one at one time, becomes good at another time to somebody else.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 10.
Mankind fears an evil man but heaven does not.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 11.
Sincerity is the way to heaven.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 12.
Let men decide firmly what they will not do, and they will be free to do vigorously what they ought to do.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 13.
The great man is he who does not lose his child’s-heart.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 14.
Every duty is a charge, but the charge of oneself is the root of all others.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 15.
Friends are the siblings God never gave us.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)
- 16.
Let not a man do what his sense of right bids him not to do, nor desire what it forbids him to desire. This is sufficient. The skillful artist will not alter his measures for the sake of a stupid workman.
MenciusChinese Confucian philosopher (372-289 BC)