12·1 Renren asked Wu Luzi ①: "Which is more important, etiquette or food?"
He said: "Etiquette is more important."
" Which one is more important, appearance or etiquette?"
He said: "Etiquette is more important."
He said: "If you eat with etiquette, you will die of hunger; if you don't eat with etiquette, you will be hungry. With courtesy? If you greet her personally, you will not get a wife; if you don't welcome her personally, you will get a wife, so you must welcome her personally?"
If the man in the house can't do it right, I will sue Mencius tomorrow.
Mencius said: "What is the answer to this? If you don't understand the root but connect the end ③, a square inch of wood can make it taller than a censer ④. If gold is heavier than a feather, how can it be said that one hook of gold and one basket of wood are equal to each other? What is the meaning of Yu⑤? If the food is heavy, compare it with the light ceremony. If the food is heavy, Xi Yi should compare it with the light ceremony. If the color is heavy, compare it with the light color. Said: "If you grab the food ⑦ from your brother's arms, you will get food; if you don't hug him, you won't be able to eat. If you cross the wall of the master's house and hug his virgin ⑧, you will get a wife; if you don't hug him, you won't get a wife." Will you hug him?'"
[Note] ① Ren: the name of the vassal state in the early Zhou Dynasty, the hometown is in Jining City, Shandong Province today. Wuluzi: Disciple of Mencius, Minglian. ②Welcome in person: One of the "six rites" of the ancient marriage system, the groom must personally welcome the bride. ③ guess: measure. ④Cen Tower: A tall building with a pointed roof. ⑤One hook of gold: means a tiny bit of gold. ⑥ Wing: Same as "廻", only, only. ⑦羾(zhěn): twist. ⑧Virgin: Virgin.
I heard that King Wen was ten feet long, and the soup was nine feet long. Now it is nine feet and four inches long, and it only eats millet. How can it be done? If one cannot defeat a young horse ②, then he is considered powerless; today, if he lifts a hundred juns, he is considered to be powerful. ? It's not for the ears. The elder who walks slowly is called the younger brother. The elder who walks quickly is called the younger brother. What can't be done by others? It's the way of Yao and Shun, and the son obeys Yao. "Reciting Yao's words and doing Yao's deeds is just Yao; Zi obeys Jie's obedience, reciting Jie's words and doing Jie's deeds, it's just Jie."
Said: "Thank you." When I meet Mr. Zou, I can stay in the palace and I hope to stay and gain my fortune." He said, "My husband, if there is a great road, how can it be difficult to find out? There are more teachers."
[Note] ①Cao Jiao: The younger brother of the king of Cao State, named Jiao. ②Chicken: chick. ③ Hundred Jun: One Jun is thirty catties, and one hundred Jun is three thousand catties. ④Wu Huo: A strong man in ancient times who could lift thousands of pieces. ⑤House: borrow a place to live. Fake, borrow. Hall, residence.
12.3 Gongsun Chou asked: "Gaozi said ①: 'Xiao Bian' ② is a poem about a villain.'"
Mencius said: "Why do you say this? ?"
Said: "Resentment. Laugh and say it; if there is no other person, it will be ignored. If his brother closes the bow and shoots it, he will weep and say it; if there is no other person, he will express his regret. , benevolence. Solid husband, the old man is a poem!"
Said: "Why does "Kaifeng" not complain ④?"
Said: ""Kaifeng", If the relationship is too small, it means the relationship is too big. If the relationship is too big and there is no resentment, it is the more distant. If the relationship is too small, the relationship is not filial. "It is not filial, and it is not filial." Confucius said: "Shun was extremely filial, and he admired him at fifty." Judging from the fact that he is called "Gaosou", he should be older than Mencius. ② "Xiao Bian (pán)": the title of "The Book of Songs·Xiao Ya", "Mao Shi" thinks it is a satire on King You of Zhou, "Three Family Poems" thinks it is the story of Boqi, the son of Yin Jifu, a famous official of King Xuan of Zhou, who was exiled due to the slander of his stepmother. , made out of resentment. This should refer to the latter one. ③ Relatives: close. ④ "Kai Feng": The title of the "Book of Songs: Bei Feng", Zhu Xi's note: "Wei has a mother of seven sons who cannot live in peace with her family. The seven sons blame themselves for doing this." 5. Ji: irritated.
12·4 Song Mian ① was conquering Chu. Mencius met him at Shiqiu and asked, "Sir, what are you going to do?" If the King of Chu is displeased, I will talk to the King of Qin and let him go.” I would like to hear his instructions ③. What will happen?"
He said: "I will tell you that it will be unfavorable."
He said: "Sir's ambition is great, sir. Then it is not possible ④. The king of Qin and Chu is said to be benefit-oriented. The king of Qin and Chu is pleased with the benefit, and the soldiers of the three armies are happy to be benefited by the benefit. A son will be beneficial to his father, and a younger brother will be beneficial to his elder brother. The king, minister, father, son, and brother will eventually be benevolent and righteous, and they will be beneficial to each other. The king of Qin and Chu is pleased with benevolence and righteousness, and he is the leader of the three armies. It is the people of the three armies who are pleased with benevolence and righteousness to serve their king. A younger brother is benevolent and righteous in order to serve his elder brother. This is how kings and ministers, fathers and sons, and brothers go out to benefit. They are benevolent and righteous in order to connect with each other. However, those who are not kings do not exist.
Why should we call it profit?"
[Notes] ① Song Mou (kēng): A native of the Song Dynasty, also known as Song Yu and Song Rong, he was a famous scholar during the Warring States Period. ② Goubing: fight. ③ Refers to: Tong "Purpose", the general idea, the intention. ④ No.: Name, explanation.
12·5 Mencius lived in Zou, and Ji Ren was appointed as the guardian. ②, the Chuzi is the prime minister, ③, he pays it in money, and accepts it without repaying it. The next day, he will be appointed by Zou, and he will see Jizi. When Qi Pinglu arrives, he will not see the Chuzi. "
He asked: "Master Ren saw Ji Zi, but Qi Qi did not see Chu Zi. How could he be in harmony with him?"
He said: "No. "Book" says ⑤: "Enjoy many rituals ⑥. If the rituals are not transitive, it means not enjoying them, but I am determined to enjoy them." ’ Because it cannot be enjoyed. "Wuluzi was delighted. Or when asked, Wuluzi said: "The younger son can't get Zou, but the younger son can get Pinglu. ”
〔Notes〕 ①Ji Ren: The younger brother of the king of Ren State. When the king of Ren State goes to a neighboring country for a court meeting, Ji Ren lives and guards Ren State for him. ②Pinglu: Pinglu is an ancient Jue country, that is, in the middle of Lu Du, in present-day Wenshang County, is close to Zou. ③Chuzi: Prime Minister of Qi. ④Lian: Wuluzi's name. ⑤"Shu" says the following three sentences: from "Shangshu·Zhou". "Book·Luo Gao". ⑥Enjoyment: The etiquette of princes meeting the emperor.
12.6 Chunyu Kun said: "The first person who has a true name is a person; the second person who has a true name is a person." The master is among the three ministers②, and the name and reality are not attached to the superiors and inferiors. Is this the case for benevolent people?"
Mencius said: "Those who live in the lower position and do not disrespect the virtuous deeds are like Boyi; Wujiu Tang, the person who becomes Jie at the fifth hour is Yi Yin; the person who does not hate the emperor and refuses to resign from a minor official position is Liu Xiahui. The three sons have different paths, but they all tend to be the same. What is the first? It is called benevolence. A gentleman is just benevolent, why should he be the same?"
He said: "At the time of Duke Mu of Lu, Gongyizi was in charge of government, Ziliu and Zisi were ministers, and Lu's cutting was also very serious. If so, being a sage is of no benefit to the country!"
He said: "Yu did not use Baili Xi to perish, but Qin Mu used it to dominate. If you don't use the virtuous, you will perish. How can you gain anything by cutting it off?"
Said: "In the past, Wang Bao was in Qi ⑤, and Hexi was good at singing ⑥; Mianju was in Gaotang ⑦, and Qi You was good at singing ⑧; Hua Zhou , Qiliang's wife was good at crying for her husband ⑨, which changed the custom of the country. What is inside must be what is outside. Kun has never seen those who do things for their own sake but have no merit. This is why there are no wise men, but if there are, Kun will recognize them. "
Said: "Confucius was a Lu Sikou, so he did not use it, so he offered sacrifices, and the burnt meat was not available (11), and he did it without paying taxes (12). Those who don’t know think it’s meat, but those who know it think it’s rude. But Confucius wanted to commit minor crimes (13) and did not want to go away. No one knows what a gentleman does. "
[Notes] ① Name and reality: name, reputation; reality, merit. ② Three ministers: refers to Shangqing, Yaqing and Xiaqing. "Book of Rites" says: "The three ministers of a great country are all Destined by the emperor. "When Mencius was in Qi State, he was ranked among the three ministers. ③ Gongyizi: Gongyixiu. When he was the prime minister of Lu, he governed the Lu State according to law and etiquette. ④ Ziliu: Xieliu. ⑤ Wang Bao: People from Wei State, good at singing. ⑥Hexi: This refers to Wei State, because Wei State is on the west bank of the Yellow River. ⑦Mianju: People from Qi State, good at singing. Gaotang: Place name, in the west of Qi State, southwest of today's Yucheng, Shandong. Qi You: The west of Qi State. In ancient times, the west was the right side. ⑨ The wives of Hua Zhou and Qi Liang were good at crying about their husbands: Hua Zhou and Qi Liang were both ministers of Qi State. Later, they died in battle when they attacked Ju. He was very sad and cried against the city wall. It is said that the custom of Qi State became good at crying. (11) Burnt meat: also written as "sacrificial meat". According to etiquette, the sacrificial meat should be distributed to those who participated in the sacrifice. (12) Tax (tuō): Same as "take off". A hat worn during sacrifices.
12.7 Mencius said: "The five tyrants 1 are the sinners of the three kings; the princes of today are also the sinners of the five tyrants. Today's great officials are also today's sinners among the princes. The emperor greets the princes by saying that they are patrolling, and the princes approach the emperor by saying that they report their duties. In spring, plowing will make up for the deficiency, and in autumn, it will be harvested and help will not be given. Entering its territory, opening up the land, managing the fields, caring for the elderly and respecting the virtuous, and when the heroes are in power, there will be celebration ④, and celebration will be based on the land. Entering its territory, the land is barren, the old and the wise are left behind, and the ruler is in power ⑤, and there is concession ⑥. If he fails to go to court once, he will be demoted; if he fails to go to court again, his territory will be cut off; if he fails to go to court three times, the six divisions will be moved to him⑦. Therefore, the emperor attacks but does not attack, and the princes attack but do not attack. The five tyrants are those who embrace the princes and attack them. Therefore, it is said that the five tyrants are the sinners of the three kings. Among the five hegemons, Duke Huan was the most prosperous. At the meeting in Kuiqiu, the princes tied up their animals and carried books without sacrificing blood. The first order said: "Punish unfilial piety, there will be no Yishuzi (11), no concubine as a wife." ’ Then he ordered: ‘Respect the virtuous and cultivate the talented, so as to show the virtues. ’ The third order says: ‘Respect the elderly and the young, and never forget the guests. ’ The fourth order says: ‘There are no officials in the world for scholars, there are no officials to take care of (12), and you will get the officials if you want them (13), and there is no special purpose for killing officials. ’ The five orders are: ‘No defense (14), no restraint (15), no seal but no report. ’ He said: ‘Everyone who is an alliance with me will make peace after the alliance is established. ’ Today’s princes all violate these five prohibitions, so it is said: Today’s princes are the sinners of the five hegemons. If the ruler is evil, the offense will be small, but if the ruler is evil, the offense will be great (16). Today's great officials are all evildoers of the king, so it is said: Today's great officers are the sinners of today's princes. "
[Notes] ① Five Hegemons: The "Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period" refers to the five princes who successively dominated the Spring and Autumn Period: Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Wen of Jin, Duke Mu of Qin, Duke Xianggang of Song, and King Zhuang of Chu.
One is Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Wen of Jin, Duke Mu of Qin, King Fu Chai of Wu, and King Gou Jian of Yue. ②Three Kings: Yu of Xia, Tang of Shang, King Wen and King Wu of Zhou. ③Province: inspection. ④Celebration: Reward. ⑤掊克: Gather. This refers to people who amass people's wealth. ⑥Let: Punish. ⑦ Sixth Division: Refers to the emperor’s army. The Zhou Dynasty stipulated that the emperor should set up six armies, and the princes of the great powers should set up three armies. ⑧Embrace: pull, lead. ⑨Kuiqiu: a place name in the Song Dynasty during the Spring and Autumn Period. In 651 BC, Duke Huan of Qi met with the princes here and established his dominance. 10. Sacrifice: In ancient times, sacrifices were often used to make alliances. If the sacrifice was not slaughtered, it was called a bundle of animals. Zaishu: refers to putting the covenant on sacrifice. 惃(shà) blood: In ancient times, drinking the blood of sacrifices during oath-taking showed that one would abide by the oath. (11) Shuzi: The established prince. Tree, stand. (12) Photography: concurrently. (13) Get: Get the virtuous. (14) Qufang: Set up embankments all over. Qu, all over. Defense, embankment along the river. At that time, if the princes built embankments along the river and begged their neighboring countries, they would suffer disaster. Therefore, the covenant prohibited the construction of embankments all over the river. (15) Containment (dí): Forbid neighboring countries to buy food. Bian, buy grain. (16) Feng: Flattery. This refers to defending the monarch's evil deeds.
12·8 Lu wanted to make Shenzi a general①. Mencius said: "Using it without teaching it is called harming the people. Harming the people would not be tolerated in the era of Yao and Shun. Once Qi was defeated, Nanyang was established, but it was not possible."
Shenzi was furious. Yue said: "This is something Huali doesn't understand."
He said: "I tell you clearly. The emperor's land is a thousand miles away, but not a thousand miles away. It is not enough to treat the princes. The princes' land is a hundred miles away, but not a hundred miles away." Li is not enough to keep the ancient books of the ancestral temple. The land granted by Duke Zhou to Lu is not enough, but it is more than one hundred miles. , but thrifty than a hundred miles. Today, there are five hundred miles in Lu Fang. I think there is a king who can do it. So what will Lu do to lose? What will it gain? Just take others to do this, but the benevolent people will not do it, let alone kill people. What do you want? A gentleman's duty is to guide his ruler to be in charge and to be benevolent."
[Notes] ① Shenzi: A minister of the state of Lu, named Huali, who is good at using troops. ② Nanyang: Wenyang is located southwest of today's Mount Tai and north of Wenshui River. It was an important place that Qi and Lu fought for at that time. ③Frugal: less than.
12.9 Mencius said: "Today, all rulers say: 'I can open up land for you and fill the treasury.' What we call good ministers today is what we called thieves of the people in ancient times. The king does not follow the country's way. ① To seek wealth instead of benevolence is to be rich and unruly. "If I can make an appointment with the country for the sake of the king, I will defeat him in battle." What is called a good minister in ancient times is that the king is not committed to the country's principles. Benevolence, and seeking to fight for it, is to assist Jie. From the current way, there is no change to the current custom, even if it is with the world, it cannot live in one day. "
[Note] ① Township: Same as "direction".
12·10 Bai Gui said ①: "I want to take one out of twenty, what should I do?"
Mencius said: "The way of the master is the way of raccoon dogs ②. It is the way of ten thousand houses." Is it possible for a country to make pottery?"
He said: "No, the utensils are not enough."
He said: "The raccoon dog does not produce grain, but millet. In the city walls, palaces, ancestral temples, and sacrificial rituals, there are no princes, no coins, no silks, no food, and no officials. Therefore, one out of twenty is enough. Now that we are living in China, there are no human relations, and there are no gentlemen. How can this be done? If Tao is a man of few people, he cannot lead a country, let alone a gentleman. Those who want to despise the ways of Yao and Shun are like big raccoons and little raccoons; those who want to emphasize the ways of Yao and Shun are like big Jie and little Jie."
< p> 〔Notes〕 ①Bai Gui: A pre-Qin business management thinker, named Dan, courtesy name Gui, a native of the Zhou Dynasty. When King Hui of Liang (Wei Dynasty) was an official in Wei State, he built embankments to control floods, developed production, and advocated reducing land taxes. ②粉(mò): An ancient northern minority country. ③饔飧(yōng sūn): The etiquette of entertaining guests with food and drink. ④ Dehumanization: refers to the absence of all kinds of etiquette and etiquette. ⑤No gentleman: It means there are no officials, big or small.12·11 Bai Gui said: "Dan's control of water is better than that of Yu."
Mencius said: "Zi has passed. Yu's control of water is also the way of water. That's why Yu used the four seas as a harem, and now my son has made the neighboring countries a harem. The water flows in reverse direction, which is called flooding. This is what the benevolent people do. "
Notes] ①洚(jiàng)水: Flooding.
12·12 Mencius said: "If a gentleman is not bright ①, is he stubborn?"
〔Notes〕 ① Bright: Same as "forgiveness", honesty.
12·13 Lu wanted to make Le Zhengzi the ruler. Mencius said: "When I heard it, I was so happy that I couldn't sleep."
Gongsun Chou said: "Is it better to enjoy Zhengzi?"
He said: "No."
< p> "Do you have any knowledge or concerns?"He said: "No."
"Do you know much about it?"
He said: "No."< /p>
"But Xi is so happy that he can't sleep?"
He said: "He also likes good things as a human being."
"Is it enough to like good things?"
Said: "Love good is better than the world③, but what about the state of Lu? If you love good, people from all over the world will come thousands of miles to tell you good. If you don't do good, people will say: '鑑 訑④, I already know it. The sound and color of 訑訑 are thousands of miles away. ⑤ When a person is thousands of miles away, he will live with the people who flatter him. If the country wants to be governed, can it be achieved?"
[Notes] ①Le Zhengzi: The compound surname is "Le Zheng" and the given name is Ke. He is a disciple of Mencius.
②Love good things: According to the judgment below, you should be willing to hear kind words. ③Excellent: more than enough. ④訑訑(yí): A self-righteous voice that is unwilling to listen to the good words of others. ⑤Distance: Same as "reject", reject.
12·14 Chen Zi said: ①: "How did a gentleman in ancient times become an official?"
Mencius said: "Three things are done when you go, and three things are done when you go. Greet them with courtesy, and speak with them. If you are going to do what you say, then do it; if the politeness has not faded, if the words cannot be followed, then leave it. Secondly, even if you don't do what you say, if you greet the person with courtesy, then do it; if the politeness has declined, then leave it. The people below him do not eat in the morning or at night, and cannot leave the house due to hunger. When the king heard about it, he said: "I am a great man who cannot follow his way, nor can he follow his words. I am ashamed of him for causing hunger in my land." , you can also accept it, just avoid death."
[Notes] ①Chen Zi: Chen Zhen, a disciple of Mencius. ②Courtesy: Etiquette, attitude.
12·15 Mencius said: "Shun was born among the acres of land, Fu Shuo was raised among the building blocks①, Jiao Ge was raised among the fish and salt②, Guan Yiwu was raised among the scholars③, and Sun Shuao was raised. He is lifted up in the sea ④, and he is lifted up in the city ⑤. Therefore, when heaven is about to give a great responsibility to a person, he must first strain his mind, strain his muscles and bones, starve his body and skin, deplete his body, and mess up his actions ⑥, so he is tempted. Forbearance has benefited people who have been unable to do it ⑦. People can change after a long time; they are trapped in the heart, balanced by considerations ⑧, and then act; it is manifested in color ⑨, and it is expressed in sound, and then it is impossible to control people ⑩. If you go out, you will be invincible to foreign patients, and the country will perish. Then you will know that you are born in sorrow and die in peace and happiness."
[Note] ① Fu said (yuè): The Prime Minister of Shang King Wu Ding. According to legend, he was once a prisoner and worked as a block builder in Fu Yan. He was later promoted to the prime minister of the country by Wu Ding. Block construction: When the ancients built a wall, they used two blocks to be sandwiched between them, solid soil between them, and built with a pestle. ②Jiao Ge: A wise man during the Yin and Zhou dynasties. Because of the chaos, he made a living by selling fish and salt, and was recommended to Zhou by King Wen of Zhou Dynasty. ③Guan Yiwu: Guan Zhong. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Xiaobai of Qi State competed with Gongzi Jiu for the throne. Guan Zhong supported Gongzi Jiu. After Gongzi Jiu failed, Guan Zhong was imprisoned by Duke Huan of Qi. Later, due to Bao Shuya's recommendation, he was appointed as prime minister by Duke Huan of Qi, helping Duke Huan of Qi to dominate. Officer: prison officer. Guan Zhong was once imprisoned and under the control of prison officials, so he was said to be "raised by scholars". ④Sun Shuao: A native of the Chu state, he once lived in seclusion by the seaside, and was later promoted to Ling Yin by the King of Chuzhuang. ⑤ Baili Xi: A native of the Yu State, he later fled from the Yu State to the Chu State and sold himself into slavery for the price of five sheepskins. Later, he was promoted as the prime minister by Duke Mu of Qin. ⑥ Fu: Fu is violent and disobeys. ⑦Zeng: Same as "increase". ⑧heng: Same as "horizontal", not smooth. ⑨ levy: levy, performance. ⑩ Fu (bì) Shi: Same as "Bi Shi", the wise man who assisted Bi.
12·16 Mencius said: "There are many skills in teaching, and those who teach with disdain are just teaching."
Appreciation of "Gao Zixia" The content seems to be complicated, but it is actually an in-depth analysis of the theory of "good nature" in the previous chapter from the perspective of study and life practice. The central clue is "faith".
Mencius said in this article: "If a gentleman is not bright, what is the evil of persistence?" Brightness is faith. Mencius stipulates trustworthiness as the rule of conduct for a gentleman. He believes that if you do not act with integrity, you will be careless and without principles, you will not be able to control anything. Faith is one of the moral standards of Confucianism. "The Analects of Confucius: We Zheng" said: "If a person does not have faith, he does not know what he can do." "The Great Learning" said: "Therefore, if a gentleman has the right path, he must be loyal and trustworthy to obtain it. "On the basis of inheriting the views of his predecessors, Mencius further developed and applied the concept of integrity to all aspects of personal cultivation and social life.
First of all, when it comes to treating history, Mencius puts forward the view of breaking promises and causing chaos in the country. Like his Confucian predecessors, he favored the past over the present, believed that the development of society was the collapse of rituals and music, and the decline of kingly ways, and one-sidedly attributed the cause of change to the insincerity of people's hearts. He commented on the history of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States: "The five hegemons are the sinners of the three kings; the princes of today are the sinners of the five hegemons; the great officials of today are the sinners of the princes today." ("Gao Zixia") In Mencius' view, the etiquette system of the ancient kings was in line with the way of benevolence and was the highest criterion for governing the world. Only when everyone fulfills their duties and abides by the etiquette and laws they should abide by can the world be harmonious and peaceful. And the Five Hegemons "encircled the princes in order to attack the princes", which was the princes arrogating the emperor's etiquette; the "now princes" violated the oath of the five hegemons, which was not abiding by the way of a gentleman; admonishing the evil of the prince and guiding the prince Righteousness is the duty of a great minister to assist the king, and "today's great ministers are all doing evil to the king" because they fail to abide by their duties. These three practices are dishonest and are the cause of chaos in the world. Integrity, also known as sincerity in the chapter "The Doctrine of the Mean", "Sincerity is the way of heaven; sincerity is the way of man. Honesty is achieved without force, achieved without thinking, calm and in the middle, and is a sage. Honesty is the way of man." Those who choose good things and are stubborn." Confucianism regards sincerity as the character of a saint and adhering to goodness, so Mencius deeply abhorred the practice of "not being bright". Hatred of war, longing for peace, and nostalgia for the rule of the previous kings were common emotions among people at that time. Mencius hoped that through the political proposition of "kingdom" and "benevolent government", he could save the declining world and regain the peace of the past. Of course, there were Confucian intellectuals who It contains elements of fantasy, but he analyzed human nature, emphasized the principle of integrity, dared to criticize the princes and officials at the time, and put forward opinions that were in line with public opinion, which is of positive significance. At the same time, he noticed that the collapse of the Tao gradually spread from top to bottom. To correct this unhealthy trend, it must be implemented step by step from top to bottom, that is, it must start with personal self-cultivation.
Secondly, Mencius emphasized that a gentleman must maintain a certain degree of integrity. No matter what the situation, he must firmly believe in his own beliefs and abide by his own moral principles. This is the performance of integrity.
This article explains it from two aspects: obedience without arrogance and failure without discouragement. For example, when Chen Zi asked, "How should a gentleman be an official?" Mencius replied, "Just three and three." That is, be respectful and do what you say. But if you greet someone with respect, then accept it, and if the politeness fades, then leave it. If the monarch does not need to be disrespectful, he can also accept it if he can help the world and treat his subjects well. Although the levels of these three situations are different, they all have a certain foundation. Once the foundation no longer exists, it must be abandoned. Doing good deeds is the most basic condition. This is the conduct and limit of a gentleman. Mencius believed that a gentleman is not in office to seek personal fame and interests, but to implement benevolent government to benefit the world and benefit the people. This is the mission that a gentleman should abide by.
Promoting benevolence and benefiting the world is the grand ambition of Confucian scholars, and it can be said that there is a long way to go. Zengzi once said: "Isn't it important to be benevolent when you take one's own responsibility? Isn't it also far away to die before you die?" He proposed that "a scholar cannot be ungrateful" (see "The Analects of Confucius Taibo"). Mencius was well aware of the hardships of undertaking this mission, so he emphasized that a gentleman should be tempered and tested in adversity. He listed the arduous and successful experiences of six ancient sages, and encouraged himself to rise up in adversity with the words "Heaven will give great responsibilities to people", and his classic statement of "born in sorrow and died in happiness" has become the basis of countless A wise saying often quoted by later generations. Mencius's idea of ??tempering one's will is related to his "great and strong" "manly" personality, which is also a manifestation of the Chinese people's "sense of worry" that originated from the "Book of Changes".
Third, in social practice, Mencius’s view of integrity is manifested in the unity of motivation and effectiveness.
Politically, Mencius advocated benevolent government and kingly rule. He denounced the ministers who opened up land for the king to seek wealth and made war with the country as "thieves of the people", and called the king who was unbenevolent and unethical and sought wealth and strength as " He "rich Jie" and "auxiliary Jie", and Shenzi, who was capable of using military force, was fiercely condemned by him as "disaster for the people". When I learned that the State of Lu would reuse Le Zhengzi, I was so excited that I couldn't sleep with joy. This was not because Le Zhengzi was super capable, good at thinking, and knowledgeable, but because he "loved kindness." He believed that this showed that the ruler had good intentions and would attract many capable and virtuous sages to assist him, so there was hope for the implementation of benevolent government ideas.
In terms of specific things, Mencius particularly emphasized the purity of motivation. Chapter 4 of this article talks about Song Mian going to the Chu State to mediate the conflict between Qin and Chu. When Song Mian told Mencius that he would "speak for profit", Mencius affirmed his ambition to stop the war and suggested his methods. Criticism: It is believed that ministers should serve the king with benevolence and righteousness, and they should use benevolence and righteousness instead of profit. The same practical effect may have different starting points. Mencius' emphasis on pure motives is to emphasize the immanence of benevolence and righteousness, and to be honest in one's own beliefs. In this regard, Zhu Xi particularly emphasized: "Scholars should observe deeply and discern clearly." ("Mencius Annotations: Gaozi 2") However, the motive of a gentleman's actions is sometimes beyond the ability of ordinary people to detect. For example, the paragraph "Confucius was not used by Lu Sikou" analyzes the underlying reasons for "Confucius wanted to commit minor crimes, but did not want to go away for the sake of stubbornness", which shows the decency and wisdom of a gentleman in doing things. In response to Wuluzi's inquiry about "seeing the younger son but not the younger son", Mencius explained the underlying reason why he was polite but not powerful. Mencius valued good motives and also emphasized good effects. When Bai Gui, the minister of Wei State, wanted to replace the tithe with a tax law of one out of twenty, Mencius believed that it was not in line with the national conditions and that the tithe was appropriate. If it was too high, it would harm the people. If the interests are too low, the country will not be able to have the proper etiquette. Mencius disapproved of the idea that the motive was correct but was not conducive to the establishment of a country's etiquette. However, Mencius was firmly opposed to the idea that it was beneficial to one's own country but harmful to other countries. Bai Gui boasted about his ability to control floods, and Mencius exposed his bad behavior of not following the waterways and taking advantage of neighboring countries. According to "Han Shu·Gou Xi Zhi", at that time, Qi, Zhao, Wei and other countries were all along the Yellow River. The terrain of Zhao and Wei was high while the terrain of Qi was low. Therefore, these countries competed to build embankments to protect their own countries, resulting in "the river water reaches the Qi dike in the east and the dike in the west." Pan Zhao Wei". Although this is beneficial to one's own country, it can cause disasters for other countries. It can be seen that Mencius advocated the goodness of nature, which is a philanthropic thought that benefits the world. His theory of motivation reflects the internalization of the theory of goodness of nature, and the pursuit of results is the externalization of the theory of goodness of nature. He believes that only by unifying the inside and outside can we truly It is the integrity of the belief in the goodness of nature.
Finally, Mencius’s interpretation of his theory also reflects the principle of integrity. The world compares the lightness of etiquette with the weight of food and sex, and doubts the importance of etiquette. Mencius criticized this way of understanding as neglecting the basics and focusing on the last. He believed that rituals, diet, and sexual desire all have internal differences in importance. Specific issues must be analyzed in detail, and the importance of rituals cannot be doubted because of inappropriate comparisons. Cao Jiao was limited to the superficial meaning of the words, questioning the famous thesis that "everyone can be like Yao and Shun". Mencius believed that his thinking was too rigid. To understand this sentence, you should not stick to the words. Instead, you should regard it as a state of cultivation from the perspective of implication, because the key to reaching this state is not whether you can, but whether you have it. Determined to do it, whether good or evil is your own doing. Chunyu Kun felt that Mencius' appointment in Qi was not conducive to state affairs, and questioned the role of wise men. Mencius used Boyi, Yi Yin, and Liu Xiahui as examples to dispel his doubts, and then pointed out that the definition of benevolence and virtue should not just be limited to the surface of name and reality, but must be essentially in line with the way of benevolence and righteousness.
By discussing the thoughts and feelings of "Xiao Bian" and "Kaifeng" with his disciples, he emphasized that studying "Poetry" should be combined with the specific creative background of the poem. This is why he "does not use words to harm words, does not use words to harm meaning, and uses mind to go against one's will." " ("Ten Thousand Chapters") is a specific example of the method of treating "Poetry". Although he elaborated his moral views by evaluating the thoughts and feelings of poetry, this method of understanding poetry had a profound impact on ancient Chinese literary theory.
The dialectical nature of Mencius’ interpretation of the classics not only enriched his theory and increased his persuasiveness, but also gained flexibility and universal significance in the face of complex real life, thus becoming unique among traditional cultural thoughts. of weirdness.
In addition, this article also reflects the diversity of Mencius’ educational methods. It not only provides tireless theoretical explanations, but also pays attention to practical teaching and inspiration in real life. It also puts forward the method of teaching without teaching, which reflects Traditional Chinese education attaches great importance to the idea of ??personal understanding.