Work · East Asian Philosophy
Mengzi
Dialogues on the goodness of human nature and humane government.
Introduction
The book records conversations of Mencius with kings, ministers, disciples and opponents in seven books, each divided into two parts. It opens with King Hui of Liang asking how Mencius can profit his state, and Mencius replying that he should speak only of humaneness and rightness. In a famous debate with Gaozi, who compares human nature to water flowing east or west, Mencius answers that nature tends to goodness as water flows downhill. The text also defends the right to overthrow a tyrant who has lost the Mandate of Heaven. Zhu Xi made it one of the Four Books, and it became required reading for the imperial examinations.
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Connections
Builds on
- Analects (Lunyu)c. 450 BCE · Confucius
Criticizes
- Mozic. 400 BCE · Mozi
Taken up in
- Tracing the Way (Yuan Dao)c. 805 · Han Yu
- Correcting the Unenlightened (Zhengmeng)1076 · Zhang Zai
- Commentaries on the Four Books1190 · Zhu Xi
- Waiting for the Dawn (Mingyi daifang lu)1663 · Huang Zongxi
- The Meanings of Terms in the Analects and Mencius (Gomō jigi)1683 · Itō Jinsai
- Evidential Commentary on the Meanings of Terms in the Mengzi1777 · Dai Zhen
Criticized in
- Xunzic. 240 BCE · Xunzi
- Balanced Inquiries (Lunheng)c. 80 · Wang Chong
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