Mencius

“It was by sharing their enjoyments with the people that the men of antiquity were able to enjoy themselves.”

Mencius has been asked whether kings can enjoy wealth or goods that are also accessible to the people. His answer is that this is the only true way to enjoy something. This response suggests that the way of benevolence is also the true path to happiness.

“‘The King received me,’ he said, ‘and told me that he was fond of music. I was at a loss what to say.’”

A man named Chuang Pao is relating this story to Mencius. It is surprising that a king should admit to such a thing. However, the anecdote serves as the basis for showing that shared enjoyment is preferable to the enjoyment of something by oneself.

“If the Marshal of the Guards was unable to keep his guards in order, then what should be done about it?”

This is an analogy Mencius uses to show why a bad or incompetent king should be removed from office. If we remove guards who cannot do their jobs, he is saying, why should the same not be done with kings? The suggestion is that the king’s role is no different from any other in the sense that it entails certain duties and responsibilities.

“The influence of virtue spreads/ Faster than setting up posting stations for orders to be transmitted.”

This is a quote attributed to Confucius. It is intended to counteract the previous pessimistic discussion in which Mencius discusses how tyrannical the governments of the moment are. Thus, the quote is intended to show that things can change quickly if enough rulers and people turn towards the path of virtue.

“I have an insight into words. I am good at cultivating my ‘flood-like ch’i.’”

These are the two ‘strong points’ Mencius mentions in response to a query about himself. His “flood-like ch’i” is an abundance of life energy that comes from skillful cultivation of his moral character. His “insight into words” is an ability to detect the true intention of a speaker.

“There was a man from Sung who pulled at his seedlings because he was worried about their failure to grow.”

This comment follows from Mencius’s discussion of how he achieved his abundant ch’i. It is supposed to illustrate that good character can be cultivated but not forced. To attempt to force or compel oneself to be virtuous might be counterproductive, like the man pulling at his seedlings.

“I have not succeeded in becoming a sage. I simply never tire of learning nor weary of teaching.”

This is a quote attributed to Confucius, in a discussion on the nature of the sage. The idea is that to be a true sage, one must constantly be seeking. To rest with a certain level of understanding is to cease to be a sage.

“Nevertheless, there will be men in authority and there will be the common people. Without the former, there would be none to rule over the latter; without the latter, there would be none to support the former.”

This comment is made in the context of a broader attempt, in Book III, to justify the authority of kings. On one level, Mencius is simply saying that different groups of people have different roles and reciprocal duties to one another. On another level, though, he is suggesting that the categories of “ruled” and “rulers” are immutable.

“To earn his keep a good and wise ruler shares the work of tilling the land with his people.” 

Hsu Hsing makes this remark. It expresses his idea that the king ought to share in the difficulties and labor of the people. On a more radical reading, the quote represents a questioning of the need for a division between ruler and ruled.

“If everyone must make everything he uses, the Empire will be led along the path of incessant toil.”

This is the conclusion of Mencius’s argument against Hsu Hsing. This is based on an appeal to the division of labor. Since different people have different talents specialization makes sense, and this is true in the case of the skill of governance.

“‘I am not fond of disputation,’ answered Mencius. ‘I have no alternative. The world has existed for a long time, now in peace, now in disorder.’”

Mencius is responding to the accusation that he seeks out disputes. His answer is that sometimes, if the world is in a state of discord, it is necessary to challenge heresies and wrongful thinking. He specifically has in mind the heresies of Yang Chu and Mo Ti.

“When the world declined and the Way fell into obscurity, heresies and violence again arose. There were instances of regicides and parricides.”

This comment sets up Mencius’s criticisms of Yang Chu and Mo Ti. The idea is that when there was a fall from the original harmony of the way, all kinds of negative phenomena were a reflection of this. The rise of heresies was one of these symptoms.

“If the way of Yang and Mo does not subside and the way of Confucius does not shine forth, the people will be deceived by heresies and the path of morality will be blocked.”

Yang and Mo advocated, respectively, egotism and universal love. Mencius sees these ideas as deviations from the true Confucian philosophy. Moreover, they are dangerous and will lead people away from virtue.

“No one ever erred through following the example of the Former Kings.”

Part of a broader argument about the necessity of following proven, past rules. The former kings were exemplary leaders. Therefore, if a ruler follows their example, their state, too, will flourish.

“When the Empire is drowning, one helps it with the Way; when a sister-in-law is drowning, one helps her with one’s hand.”

This comment is a response to a man who suggests that Mencius ought to compromise some of his principles to save the Empire. This would be similar to touching one’s sister-in-law’s hand, something forbidden by the rites, in order to save her. Mencius suggests that the analogy is not applicable as the Empire can only be saved by the way.

“A great man is one who retains the heart of a new-born babe.”

Linked to Mencius’s broader view about human nature, this quote suggests that to be great is not to find or develop some new capacity. Rather, since man is innately good, we just need to remain true to, and cultivate, what is already inside us.

“Slight is the difference between man and the brutes.”

Mencius is here emphasizing the importance of morality. Morality and benevolence distinguish the “gentleman” from the common man, man from the animals.

“The first thing Confucius did was to lay down correct rules governing sacrificial vessels, ruling out the use of food acquired from the four quarters in such vessels.” 

This comment is intended to emphasize the importance of the rites. We would expect Confucius to have set his mind immediately to loftier goals when he met a new group of people, yet he concerned himself at first with correcting regulations regarding vessels.

“To make morality out of human nature is like making cups and bowls out of the willow.”

Kao Tzu makes this analogy in his dispute with Mencius about human nature. Kao Tzu is suggesting that human nature, like the willow, is essentially malleable and can be fashioned into a variety of forms. As such, it is neither moral nor immoral, but amoral.

“People, seeing only its baldness, tend to think that it never had any trees.”

This is part of Mencius’s argument about human nature. Just as people see a bald mountain and assume to be bald is its nature, people see bad people and assume this badness is human nature. In fact, though, like the mountain, this badness is due to the neglect of our basically good nature.

“In the land of the Northern barbarians, the five grains do not grow.”

This comment arises as Mencius urges that taxation should not be too low. If it is, then the state will not be able to function, and there is the risk of reverting to the level of the barbarians. The lack of the “five grains” is supposed to indicate their primitive state of social and economic development.

“He who dies after having done his best in following the Way dies according to his proper destiny.”

Mencius is here trying to address the question and problem of fate. Specifically, what happens if we should die young? The answer is that if we follow the way properly, we will be ready for any fate.

“There is nothing better for the nurturing of the heart than to reduce the number of one’s desires.”

In this comment on asceticism and virtue, Mencius argues that in order to develop one’s inner moral character and “heart,” it is important to limit the number of external distractions and temptations. Thus, one ought to limit the desire for power and material goods. At the same time, Mencius does not advocate extreme asceticism or limiting desire for its own sake.