Mencius believed that "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom" are the four principles of life, "the heart of sympathy, the heart of shame, the heart of resignation, and the heart of right and wrong". , the beginning of wisdom. It is rooted in the heart, just like human beings have limbs, it is natural. "Therefore, if people of the same kind are similar, why should others doubt them?" The so-called benevolence, etiquette, and righteousness, that is, kindness, is something that everyone must have. Kindness is not the same as weakness. Mencius said: "What is desirable is called good." That is to say, when a person has the desire to do good and desires to become a person with a noble personality, then this means that this person has an understanding of morality, which is what a noble personality pursues. start. "At the beginning of man's life, his nature is good." Man is born with a nature of goodness. Mencius also believed that man has a natural goodness, and all the virtues in the world exist in the human heart. Virtue is not external, it is inherent in everyone's heart. People only need to expand the goodness in their hearts. But with the acquired contact with people and society, this kind of kindness may be retained and even become a great kindness; but when this kind of kindness is lost, people will lose certain bottom lines and do things that harm themselves or others. matter. 1.1 Compassion As the saying goes, everyone has compassion, and compassion is the reason why people are kind. Mencius mentioned in his article "Gaozi 1" that "all people have the heart of compassion" and "the heart of compassion is benevolence". Mencius believes that everyone has compassion. For example, when a decision you make will bring greater misfortune to another person's life, your instinct tells yourself to let him go and give him a chance to survive. You should be so decisive. At this time, your "compassion" is reminding you. Compassion is sympathy, a feeling that arises when someone else suffers misfortune. Compassion is not the same as pity. Compassion is instinctive, an instinctive reaction in your body. 1.2 Shame The heart of shame is also necessary for a person to survive in society. It is the basis for people to determine their personality. As the saying goes, "the heart of shame is righteousness." Only those with a sense of shame can see their own shortcomings and the strengths of others. In ancient times, because of human shame, primitive people who faced each other naked every day began to use leaves and animal skins to make clothes. They continued to conquer beasts to compare their strengths and weaknesses. Everyone hopes to be strong, so they must constantly prove themselves, so that society will continue to be pushed forward. Shame is like a benchmark that tells us what we cannot do. 1.3 Respectful Heart No matter the era or the region, as a human being, we should have a respectful heart. Respectful heart is the way for people to cultivate their morality. Mencius said, "The heart of respect is also etiquette." The lamb kneels down to breastfeed, the crow knows how to feed in return, the birds and beasts all know how to be grateful, and they all have a respectful heart. As a human being, we should have such a heart. 1.4 The Heart of Resignation Resignation is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation, and of course it is also one of the contents of Mencius’ “heart”. Mencius mentioned in the article "Gongsun Chou" that "the heart of humility is the beginning of etiquette", which means that the heart of humility is the beginning of "ritual". As the saying goes, "The sky is brighter when you take a step back." This is also an expression of courtesy. Whether under the feudal system or in our current society, the spirit of resignation should not be erased. This is an excellent cultural etiquette produced by our nation after thousands of years of evolution, and it should be passed down.

Source: Cultural Relic Identification and Appreciation