Mencius biography sample

Confucian philosopher (c. – c. BC)

This article is about the ancient Chinese philosopher. For the book, see Mencius (book).

In this Chinese name, the family name is Meng.

Mencius^[a] (MEN-shee-əs; c.&#;&#;– c.&#;&#;BC) was a Chinese Confucian philosopher, often described as the Second Sage (亞聖) to reflect his traditional esteem relative to Confucius himself.

Mencius biography sample

He was part of Confucius's fourth generation of disciples, inheriting his ideology and developing it further.^[1][2] Living during the Warring States period, he is said to have spent much of his life travelling around the states offering counsel to different rulers.

Conversations with these rulers form the basis of the Mencius, which would later be canonised as a Confucian classic.

One primary principle of his work is that human nature is righteous and humane. The responses of citizens to the policies of rulers embodies this principle, and a state with righteous and humane po