Mencius
Confucian philosopher of the fourth century BCE, said to have been born in the state of Zou; known for the claim that human nature is good, his teaching survives in the Mengzi, a collection of his dialogues, debates and sayings probably compiled by his disciples.
Mencius did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
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Their wordsSuperiors and inferiors will try to take the profit the one from the other, and the kingdom will be endangered.
↗The Sayings of Mencius, as compiled by his disciples (tr. James Legge, in Chinese Literature, 1900)gutenberg.org 1st of 8 in this piece
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Our reading
Rulers who are wise and good take pleasure in their parks; those who are not cannot enjoy them
Their wordsBeing wise and good, they then have pleasure in these things. If they are not wise and good, though they have these things, they do not find pleasure.
↗The Sayings of Mencius, as compiled by his disciples (tr. James Legge, in Chinese Literature, 1900)gutenberg.org 2nd of 8 in this piece
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Our reading
A ruler who lets people die of famine and blames the bad year is like a killer who blames the weapon
Their wordsWhen men die, you say, 'It is not owing to me; it is owing to the year,' In what does this differ from stabbing a man and killing him, and then saying, 'It was not I; it was the weapon'?
↗The Sayings of Mencius, as compiled by his disciples (tr. James Legge, in Chinese Literature, 1900)gutenberg.org 3rd of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsIn your stalls there are fat beasts; in your stables there are fat horses. But your people have the look of hunger, and in the fields there are those who have died of famine. This is leading on beasts to devour men.
↗The Sayings of Mencius, as compiled by his disciples (tr. James Legge, in Chinese Literature, 1900)gutenberg.org 4th of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsHe who has no pleasure in killing men can so unite it.
↗The Sayings of Mencius, as compiled by his disciples (tr. James Legge, in Chinese Literature, 1900)gutenberg.org 5th of 8 in this piece
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Our reading
A king who fails to win the realm fails because he does not act, not because he is unable to
Their wordsTherefore your Majesty's not attaining to the Royal sway is because you do not do it, and not because you are not able to do it.
↗The Sayings of Mencius, as compiled by his disciples (tr. James Legge, in Chinese Literature, 1900)gutenberg.org 6th of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsThey are only men of education, who, without a certain livelihood, are able to maintain a fixed heart. As to the people, if they have not a certain livelihood, they will be found not to have a fixed heart.
↗The Sayings of Mencius, as compiled by his disciples (tr. James Legge, in Chinese Literature, 1900)gutenberg.org 7th of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsWhen they have thus been involved in crime, to follow them up and punish them, is to entrap the people.
↗The Sayings of Mencius, as compiled by his disciples (tr. James Legge, in Chinese Literature, 1900)gutenberg.org 8th of 8 in this piece
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