The meaning of being a gentleman is: this is called a gentleman.

From Mencius and Teng Wengong.

Original text:

Jingchun said, "Aren't Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi loyal men? Anger is the fear of the princes, and peace is the destruction of the world. " Mencius said, "A gentleman is a gentleman. Haven't you learned manners? The husband's crown is also the father's life; When the woman got married, she was ordered by her mother to deliver it to her door, saying,' When you go to your daughter's house, you must respect it and not disobey your master!' He who takes obedience as the right path is also a concubine.

Live in the world, stand in the right position in the world and be the best in the world; Success, with the people; Go your own way when you are frustrated. Wealth can't be lewd, poverty can't be moved, and power can't be bent. This is called a gentleman. "

Explanation:

Jingchun said, "Aren't Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi real men? When they are angry, the princes are afraid; If they live in their own homes, the world will be peaceful. " Mencius said, "How can this be regarded as a gentleman? Haven't you learned manners? When the man was crowned, his father punished him.

When the woman got married, her mother instructed her to walk her to the door and warned her:' When you arrive at your home, you must be respectful, be careful and don't disobey your husband!' Obedience as the greatest principle is the truth that women follow (Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi are like women in front of governors! )。

A gentleman should live in the most spacious house in the world-benevolence, stand in the most correct position in the world-courtesy, and take the widest road in the world-righteousness; When you can realize your ideal, you should follow the right path with the people. If you can't, you should walk alone.

Wealth can't confuse his thoughts, poverty can't change his ethics, and power can't yield to his will. This is called a gentleman. "

Extended data evaluation

Jingchun thinks that Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi can control the vassals and provoke wars between countries. "When the princes are angry, they fear, and the world dies." This is a great man.

Mencius believed that Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yizhi climbed up by shaking their lips and obeying the wishes of the governors, and there was no principle of benevolence, righteousness and morality. Therefore, they are just villains and women, and they are pursuing the "way of concubinage". How can they be brave people?

Mencius' statement is implicit and humorous, only by saying "courtesy" to explain the mother's instructions when a woman gets married, thus drawing the conclusion that "those who take obedience as the right path are also concubines". What deserves our attention here is that the ancients thought that a wife's way was like a minister's way. Of course, I should obey you, but the principle of obedience is justice. If you are unfair, I will protest.

The same is true of a wife to her husband. Of course, a wife should obey her husband. However, if her husband did, she should persuade him to correct it. It should be "harmony but difference" only eunuchs, little wives, little maids, who don't ask right and wrong and blindly obey principles. Actually, there is no principle.

"The way of concubinage" can not be generally understood as the way of women, but actually the way of little wives. Mencius' satire was profound and sharp, and he hated Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi. Mencius' method is to put forward the real way of being a man in a tit-for-tat manner.

This is his famous saying, which has been passed down through the ages: "Wealth cannot be lewd, poverty cannot be moved, and power cannot be bent." How? Then you have to "live in the world, stand in the right position in the world and be the best in the world." Or go back to the benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom that Confucianism has always advocated.

After doing this, we will adopt the attitude of "following the will of the people, not doing what I want", that is, what Confucius said, "using it to do, abandoning it to hide", and we can become real gentlemen.

Baidu Encyclopedia-wealth can't be lewd, poverty can't be moved, and power can't be bent.