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The Warring States Period Mencius "Gao Zi Zhang Sentence"

Excerpts from the original text

Mencius said, "If it is true, it can be good. This is good. If the husband is not good, it is also a crime of no talent. Everyone has compassion; Everyone has a heart of shame and evil; Everyone has a respectful heart; Everyone has a right and wrong heart. Compassion, benevolence; Shame and nausea, righteousness also; Respect and courtesy; The heart of right and wrong is also wise.

Benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom are not foreign, but inherent to me, so I think. Therefore, there is a saying,' You will get it if you ask, and you will lose it if you give up.' Still those who don't count, can't do the best. "Poetry" says:' People naturally steam, and there are things and rules. People's understanding of Yi is a virtue. "Confucius said,' Who knows this poet? So, there must be something; People are loyal and easy, so good is virtue. ”"

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Mencius said: "By nature, everyone can be kind. That's what I mean when I say that human nature is good. As for some people who are not kind, they can't be blamed for their natural qualifications. Compassion is for everyone; Everyone feels ashamed; Everyone has respect; Everyone has right and wrong.

Compassion belongs to benevolence; Shame belongs to righteousness; Respect belongs to the ceremony; Right and wrong belong to wisdom. This kind of benevolence, righteousness, courtesy and wisdom is not given to me by external factors, but I am born with it, but I don't think about it at ordinary times, so I can't feel it. Therefore, there is a saying that' seek and you will get, and give up and you will lose'.

There are one, five or even countless times differences between people, precisely because they do not give full play to their natural qualifications.

The Book of Songs says:' Heaven gives birth to man, and everything has laws. When people master these laws, they will have lofty and beautiful moral character. "Confucius said,' I really know who wrote this poem! Where there are things, there must be laws; The common people have mastered these laws, so they advocate goodness. "'

Extended data:

Writing background

Zhang's sentence is selected from Mencius. Mencius, a collection of Mencius' speeches during the Warring States Period, recorded the dispute between Mencius and hundred schools of thought, the words and deeds of his disciples, and the lobbying of princes, and was compiled by Mencius and his disciples (Zhang Wan, etc.). ).

Appreciation of original text

Student Gong raised the issue of human nature more comprehensively and discussed it with Mencius. In addition to Gao Zi's point of view, he also cited two other points of view, both of which are well-founded and convincing. This time, Mencius did not cross-examine or push the absurd way to debate, but positively expounded his views on human nature.

To say that it is an elaboration is actually a reaffirmation. Because it is its main content, that is, the "four hearts" of sadness, shame, respect and right and wrong, and their internal relations with benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom, he has already put forward and expounded it in Five Notes of Gongsun.