"The people are the most important, the country is the second, and the monarch is the light" comes from the "dedication" in Mencius. "The people are wise to the monarch" has become a famous saying widely circulated in later generations and has been quoted by people all the time.
Mencius said: "The people are the most important, the country is the second, and the monarch is the light. So, Qiu Min is the son of heaven, the son of heaven is a vassal, and the vassal is a doctor. When a vassal is in trouble, he must change it. The sacrifice is complete, the prosperity is clean, and the ancestor worship is timely. However, if the water overflows prematurely, it will change the country.
Mencius said: "The people are the most important, the country is the second, and the monarch is the light. Therefore, those who win the hearts of the people are the sons of heaven, those who win the promise of the sons of heaven are the kings, and those who win the promise of the kings are the doctors. If the monarch endangers the land god and the country, he will change the monarch. The sacrifices are rich, the sacrifices are clean, and the sacrifices are held on time, but they still suffer from drought and flood, so they are changed to Tugu God. "
This passage is the most typical and vivid embodiment of Mencius' people-oriented thought. "The people are wise to the monarch" has become a famous saying widely circulated in later generations and has been quoted by people.