Source: "Spring and Autumn Mencius" Mencius said: "Everything is ready for me. Go against it and be sincere, and be happy. Strong forgiveness is not close to seeking benevolence. "
Vernacular interpretation: Mencius said, "I have everything." Self-doubt and honesty are the greatest happiness. Forgiveness is the closest way to benevolence. "
Introduction to the extended data author:
Mencius, Ji surname, Meng family, Mingke, was born in Zouguo (now Zoucheng, Jining, Shandong) during the Warring States Period.
A famous philosopher, thinker, politician and educator in the Warring States period, one of the representatives of Confucianism, was second only to Confucius, and was also called "Confucius and Mencius" with Confucius. Advocating "benevolent government", he first put forward the idea that "the people are more expensive than the monarch".
Writing background:
Han Yu listed Mencius as a Confucian figure who inherited the Confucian orthodoxy in the pre-Qin period in The Original Road. In the Yuan Dynasty, Mencius was named "Elegant Gong Sheng Chen Shu" and honored as "Elegant Saint". Mencius is a collection of essays compiled by Mencius' disciple * *, which advocates "benevolence-oriented".
Mencius was born about 100 years before the death of Confucius (479 BC), and his activity time was about 372 BC to 289 BC. He is a descendant of the nobility of Lu.
One is Zou, the ancestor from Lu to Mencius. Historical Records Biography of Mencius and Xun Qing said that Mencius was a "educated and thoughtful man"; Mencius didn't mention the name of his teacher, but said, "If you can't be a Confucius, you can be a private scholar."
Since the Han dynasty, it has been controversial who he was employed by. First, he thinks he should learn from Zisi, second, he should learn from Zisi, and third, he should learn from Zisi's disciples. Zhu: "I still steal privately. Shu, people. Li thought dialect was also. People call children's thoughts. "
Sima Qian recorded in Historical Records Biography of Mencius and Xun Qing that Mencius was a "educated and thoughtful disciple". Moreover, according to the historical records of Confucius family, the date of birth and death of Zisi's father Kong Li (the son of Confucius) and the reign time of Lu Miaogong (Lu Mugong), it is difficult for Mencius to be established by quilt thinking. From this point of view, Mencius is more suitable to be a disciple of Zisi.
As for Mencius' father, there is even more lack of information. In the inscription of Mencius, Zhao Qi thinks that Mencius was "taught to lose his father when he was young and was moved by his loving mother". Mencius, like Confucius, grew up under the education of his mother. There are many stories about Meng Mu's godson in history books, and Meng Mu's words and deeds played a great role in Mencius' becoming a "saint".
Mencius has great respect for Confucius. He said in "Ugly Sun": "Born from the people, not filled with Confucius". You can learn from Confucius if you like. Mencius traveled to Qi, Song, Teng, Wei and Lu for more than twenty years. The specific time when he traveled to other countries is not very accurate, and he can only explain the approximate time and situation according to the records in Mencius.
Mencius inherited Confucius' theory of benevolent governance and was a very ambitious politician. As a keen thinker, Mencius realized the characteristics and trends of the times and constructed his own theory during the war when the vassal states joined Lian Heng.
Like Confucius, he tried to transform Confucian political theory and idea of governing the country into concrete idea of governing the country and put it into practice around the world. At that time, various thinkers lobbied the rulers of various countries in order to realize their political opinions. In this social background, Mencius began to travel around the world, lobbying among monarchs and propagating his political views.