In Mencius, wealth cannot be fornicated, poverty cannot be moved, and power cannot be surrendered. This is called a true man, which embodies the ambition and pride and reminds people to stick to their moral integrity.

The meaning of this sentence is that wealth cannot confuse his thoughts, poverty and lowliness cannot shake his ethics, and power cannot make his will surrender. Only this is called a man with ambition and achievements.

Source: Meng Ke and his disciples "Mencius·Tengwen Gongxia" during the Warring States Period.

Original text

Jing Chun said: "Are Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi dishonest and great men? When they are angry, the princes are afraid, but when they live in peace, the world is destroyed."

Mencius He said: "How can I be a man? Has my son not learned the etiquette? The husband's crown is ordered by the father; the woman's marriage is ordered by the mother. Go to the sending gate, and warn them: 'When you go to your daughter's house, you must Respect must be followed, and there is nothing against the Master! '

To be righteous is to live in the world, to establish the right position in the world, to achieve the goal of the world, and to be with the people. If you don't have ambitions, you can't be licentious, you can't be poor, you can't be humble. This is called a man."

Translation:

Jing Chun said: "Gongsun Yan. (yǎn), Isn’t Zhang Yi a true man of ambition and deeds? When they get angry, the princes will be afraid. When they calm down, the world will be peaceful." Mencius said: "How can this be possible? Are you considered a man with ambition and achievements? Haven't you learned the etiquette? When a man performs the crowning ceremony, his father teaches him; when a woman gets married, her mother teaches her, sends her to the door, and warns her: "When you arrive at your husband's house, Be respectful, be cautious, and don't disobey your husband! '

Putting obedience as the first priority is the code of conduct for women. A real man should live in the most spacious house in the world - 'Benevolence'. Standing in the most correct position in the world - "Li", walking on the most correct path in the world - "Yi". When you are successful, follow the right path with the people; when you are not successful, walk your own path.

Wealth cannot confuse his mind, poverty cannot shake his ethics, and power cannot bend his will. This is called a man with ambition and achievements."?

Expand. Information:

Appreciation of Works

Jing Chun believed that Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi could influence the princes and provoke wars between countries. "When they are angry, the princes will be afraid, and when they live in peace, the world will be destroyed. "He is an incredible man.

Mencius believed that Gongsun Yan, Zhang Yi and others climbed up the ranks by wagging their lips and bending their minds to obey the wishes of the princes. They had no principles of benevolence, righteousness and morality. Therefore, they were just villains and women who pursued "Concubine way", how can we talk about being a real man?

Mencius only used the word "propriety" to explain the mother's instructions when a woman got married, and from this he concluded that "the right person to be obedient is the way of a concubine." What is worthy of our attention here is that the ancients believed that , The way of a wife is like the way of a minister. Of course, ministers should be obedient to their king, but the principle of obedience is based on justice. If the king behaves unjustly, ministers should advise him.

The same is true for wives towards their husbands. Of course, the wife should obey her husband, but if the husband has made mistakes, the wife should persuade him to make amends. It should be "harmony but difference". Only eunuchs, wives, and maids follow the principle of blind obedience regardless of right or wrong. In fact, they have no principles at all.

Mencius believed that this "concubine's way" cannot be generally understood as a woman's way, but is actually the "little wife's way", and only Confucian benevolence and etiquette are "a man's way" way".

Mencius’s sarcasm was profound and sharp, and it can be said that he deeply hated Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi. However, is Mencius's sarcasm really correct? The idea of ????politics and strategists is to deal with various countries and realize the ideal and ambition of "integrating vertically and horizontally to make the world one" through combining and dividing the relations between princes (diplomatic means) and promoting the unification of the world.

They are not unprincipled "concubines" but outstanding ancient diplomats. However, Mencius simply interpreted it as "the way of concubines". From this perspective, Mencius’s statement is substandard.

Mencius’ method is to put forward the true way of a man tit for tat. This is his famous saying that has been passed down through the ages: "Wealth cannot be lustful, poverty cannot be moved, power cannot be surrendered." How to do it? Then we have to "live in the broadest place in the world, establish the right position in the world, and walk the great road of the world."

It is better to return to the benevolence, justice, etiquette and wisdom that Confucianism has always advocated. After doing this, we should adopt the attitude of "following the people's will when we get it, and going our own way if we don't have it", which is what Confucius said: "Use it and do it, abandon it and hide it," ("The Analects of Confucius") or Mencius It is said in other places, "If you are poor, you can be good for yourself; if you are rich, you can help the world. Then you can become a truly upright man.

Mencius advocated the law before the king and the implementation of benevolent government; in theory, he respected Confucius , opposed to Yang Zhu and Mo Zhai. Mencius inherited and developed Confucius' thoughts, but compared with Confucius' thoughts, he added his own understanding of Confucianism, and some of his thoughts were too extreme, and he was named "Ya Shenggong" by later generations. Yasheng.

Mencius's theory of benevolent government was considered "far-fetched and broad-minded" and was not implemented. Finally, he retreated to lectures and wrote "Preface to Poems" and "Books" with his students. ", describing the meaning of Zhongni (that is, Confucius), and writing "Mencius" in seven chapters."