The original text is from the "special chapter and sentence" in Mencius.
Mencius said: "a gentleman is to things, and love is benevolent; Be kind to the people and be kind. Be kind to people, be kind to people and love things. "
Original translation
Mencius said: "A gentleman cherishes everything, but he can't talk about goodness; For the people, kindness is not love. Love the people you love, love the people, love the people and cherish everything. "
Extended data
Since ancient times, China people have formed various blood groups, regardless of clan or clan, or large and small families, all advocating the way of kissing. As for the country, the world, and even everything in the world, is it the embodiment of kissing?
Therefore, Mencius said, "Be close to the people, be kind to the people, and love things." It can be seen that for the ancients, kissing is not only the basic principle of general blood type, but also the universal law of the whole universe.
In other words, not only want to kiss parents, brothers and wives, this is filial love; Moreover, when it comes to friends, no matter young or old, we should also talk about kissing, which is a sign of respect, friendship and loyalty; As for heaven and earth, it is for the people. It can be seen that kissing constitutes the basic spirit of China culture. In contrast, it is to respect principles.
Probably in any group, different people are in different positions and play different roles, thus forming a certain hierarchical order. Therefore, there are father and son, brother and husband and wife in the family, and there are young and old, monarch and minister and upper and lower in the society. Moreover, the ancient thought requires individuals to be content with their own position, content with themselves and insurmountable, thus forming an ethical view of respecting teachers and valuing morality.
Generally speaking, the individual in the status of venerable person often represents some kind of collective strength, and the subordinate's obedience to venerable person is just the individual's obedience to the collective.
For example, as far as the family is concerned, "Yi Li Mourning" calls the father supreme. Father's position in the family is not because of his power as a male individual, but because the family must have a representative, that is, the parents. Therefore, the obedience of family members to their parents is only a personal respect for the family as a universal thing.
Individuals should obey the collective, so should families and countries. Therefore, the obedience of subjects to the king is not because of the power of men, but because of the respect of individuals for lofty collective power. Whether kissing or saluting, it represents two basic principles for the continuation of human society. Kissing embodies the principle of nature, while respect embodies the principle of society.
Based on the natural facts of parents' birth, individuals deal with all family relations and various social relations derived from them, which is kissing; But individuals always live in a certain group, so they must restrain their natural attributes and obey the general requirements of a certain group, so they have respect for individuals who represent the group.
It can be said that the two principles of kissing and respect are indispensable basic principles for the existence of individuals and the whole human being.
Baidu Encyclopedia-"Special chapter and sentence"
China Civilization Network-Ceng Yi: Interpretation of Mencius' "Being close to the people, being kind to the people and loving things"