1. Old people, I am old, and people are old; young people, I am young, and people are young. ——Warring States Period·Mencius, his disciples and his subsequent disciples·"Mencius"

Meaning: When supporting elders who respect oneself, one should not forget other elders who are not related. When raising and educating your own children, you should not forget about other children who are not related by blood.

2. Respect the teachings of Xiangxu, apply the meaning of filial piety and brotherhood, and award the white ones to live up to the road. ——Warring States Period·Mencius, his disciples and his subsequent disciples·"Mencius"

Meaning: If you set up school education seriously and educate the people repeatedly with the principles of filial piety and brotherhood, the gray-haired old people will not carry it on their backs. Or running on the road with something on their head.

3. To reach across Mount Tai to reach the North Sea is impossible, but not impossible; to break branches for an old man is not possible, not impossible. ——Warring States Period·Mencius, his disciples and his subsequent disciples·"Mencius"

Meaning: To jump over the North Sea with Mount Tai under your arms is not because you are unwilling to do it, but because you can't do it; When elders do small things, it's not that they can't do it, but that they are unwilling to do it. Extended information

The last seven chapters of the book "Mencius" are a collection of Mencius' remarks during the Warring States Period. They record Mencius' debates with other schools of thought, his words and deeds to his disciples, and his lobbying of the princes. It was compiled by Mencius and his disciples (Wan Zhang, etc.).

"Mencius" records Mencius's thoughts on governing the country, political strategies (benevolent government, the distinction between kings and hegemons, people-centeredness, caring about the emperor's wrong intentions, the people are noble and the country is inferior to the king) and political actions. It was written around the middle of the Warring States Period and is a Confucian classic. The starting point of his theory is the theory of human nature and goodness, and he advocates the rule of virtue. During the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi combined "Mencius", "The Analects of Confucius", "Great Learning" and "The Doctrine of the Mean" together as the "Four Books".

Since the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, it has been regarded as a book that has been passed down from family to family. Just like our textbooks. "Mencius" is the largest and heaviest of the Four Books, with more than 35,000 words. From then until the end of the Qing Dynasty, the "Four Books" had been a required part of the imperial examination. The theory of the book "Mencius" is not only pure and profound, but the articles are also extremely powerful and beautiful.

The writing of "Mencius" is majestic, full of emotions, eloquent and highly contagious. It has been passed down to later generations and has far-reaching influence, becoming one of the Confucian classics.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Mencius (Confucian classics)