---
type: article
status: Published
slug: "mencius"
title: "Mencius"
author: "Mencius (Meng Ke) and his disciples"
tradition: "chinese"
language: "lzh"
genre: "philosophical dialogues"
period: "4th c. BCE"
source_url: "https://zh.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=%E5%AD%9F%E5%AD%90%2F%E6%A2%81%E6%83%A0%E7%8E%8B%E4%B8%8A&oldid=2642991"
certainty: observed
source: "https://zh.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=%E5%AD%9F%E5%AD%90%2F%E6%A2%81%E6%83%A0%E7%8E%8B%E4%B8%8A&oldid=2642991"
unknowns: none known
---
# Mencius

## Original

### Book 1A · King Hui of Liang, Part One

1.1 孟子見梁惠王。王曰：「叟！不遠千里而來，亦將有以利吾國乎？」
孟子對曰：「王！何必曰利？亦有仁義而已矣。王曰：『何以利吾國？』大夫曰：『何以利吾家？』士庶人曰：『何以利吾身？』上下交征利而國危矣。萬乘之國，弒其君者，必千乘之家；千乘之國，弒其君者，必百乘之家。萬取千焉，千取百焉，不為不多矣。苟為後義而先利，不奪不饜。未有仁而遺其親者也，未有義而後其君者也。王亦曰仁義而已矣，何必曰利？」

1.2 孟子見梁惠王。王立於沼上，顧鴻雁麋鹿，曰：「賢者亦樂此乎？」
孟子對曰：「賢者而後樂此；不賢者雖有此，不樂也。詩云：『經始靈台，經之營之。庶民攻之，不日成之。經始勿亟，庶民子來。王在靈囿，麀鹿攸伏。麀鹿濯濯，白鳥鶴鶴。王在靈沼，於牣魚躍。』文王以民力為台為沼，而民歡樂之，謂其台曰靈台，謂其沼曰靈沼，樂其有麋鹿魚鱉。古之人與民偕樂，故能樂也。《湯誓》曰：『時日害喪，予及女皆亡。』民欲與之偕亡，雖有台池鳥獸，豈能獨樂哉？」

1.3 梁惠王曰：「寡人之於國也，盡心焉耳矣。河內凶，則移其民於河東，移其粟於河內；河東凶亦然。察鄰國之政，無如寡人之用心者。鄰國之民不加少，寡人之民不加多，何也？」
孟子對曰：「王好戰，請以戰喻。填然鼓之，兵刃既接，棄甲曳兵而走。或百步而後止，或五十步而後止；以五十步笑百步，則何如？」
曰：「不可，直不百步耳，是亦走也。」
曰：「王如知此，則無望民之多於鄰國也。不違農時，穀不可勝食也；數罟不入洿池，魚鼈不可勝食也；斧斤以時入山林，材木不可勝用也。穀與魚鼈不可勝食，材木不可勝用；是使民養生喪死無憾也。養生喪死無憾，王道之始也。五畝之宅，樹之以桑，五十者可以衣帛矣；雞豚狗彘之畜，無失其時，七十者可以食肉矣；百畝之田，勿奪其時，數口之家可以無饑矣。謹庠序之教，申之以孝悌之義，頒白者不負戴於道路矣。七十者衣帛食肉，黎民不饑不寒，然而不王者，未之有也。狗彘食人食而不知檢，塗有餓莩而不知發。人死，則曰：『非我也，歲也。』是何異於刺人而殺之，曰：『非我也，兵也。』王無罪歲，斯天下之民至焉。」

1.4 梁惠王曰：「寡人願安承教。」
孟子對曰：「殺人以梃與刃，有以異乎？」
曰：「無以異也。」
「以刃與政，有以異乎？」
曰：「無以異也。」
曰：「庖有肥肉，廄有肥馬，民有饑色，野有餓莩；此率獸而食人也。獸相食，且人惡之；為民父母行政，不免於率獸而食人，惡在其為民父母也？仲尼曰：『始作俑者，其無後乎？』為其像人而用之也。如之何其使斯民饑而死也！」

1.5 梁惠王曰：「晉國，天下莫強焉，叟之所知也。及寡人之身，東敗於齊，長子死焉；西喪地於秦七百里；南辱於楚。寡人恥之，願比死者壹洒之，如之何則可？」
孟子對曰：「地方百里，而可以王。王如施仁政於民，省刑罰，薄稅斂，深耕易耨；壯者以暇日修其孝悌忠信，入以事其父兄，出以事其長上；可使制梃以撻秦楚之堅甲利兵矣。彼奪其民時，使不得耕耨以養其父母。父母凍餓，兄弟妻子離散。彼陷溺其民，王往而征之，夫誰與王敵？故曰：『仁者無敵。』王請勿疑。」

1.6 孟子見梁襄王。出，語人曰：「望之不似人君，就之而不見所畏焉。卒然問曰：『天下惡乎定？』「吾對曰：『定於一。』「『孰能一之？』「對曰：『不嗜殺人者能一之。』『孰能與之？』「對曰：『天下莫不與也。王知夫苗乎？七八月之間旱，則苗槁矣。天油然作雲，沛然下雨，則苗浡然興之矣。其如是，孰能御之？今夫天下之人牧，未有不嗜殺人者也。如有不嗜殺人者，則天下之民皆引領而望之矣。誠如是也，民歸之，由水之就下，沛然誰能御之？』」

1.7 齊宣王問曰：「齊桓、晉文之事可得聞乎？」
孟子對曰：「仲尼之徒，無道桓、文之事者，是以後世無傳焉；臣未之聞也。無以，則王乎？」
曰：「德何如，則可以王矣？」
曰：「保民而王，莫之能禦也。」
曰：「若寡人者，可以保民乎哉？」
曰：「可。」
曰：「何由知吾可也？」
曰：「臣聞之胡齕曰，王坐於堂上，有牽牛而過堂下者，王見之，曰：『牛何之？』對曰：『將以釁鐘。』王曰：『舍之！吾不忍其觳觫，若無罪而就死地。』對曰：『然則廢釁鐘與？』曰：『何可廢也？以羊易之！』不識有諸？」
曰：「有之。」
曰：「是心足以王矣。百姓皆以王為愛也，臣固知王之不忍也。」
王曰：「然。誠有百姓者。齊國雖褊小，吾何愛一牛？即不忍其觳觫，若無罪而就死地，故以羊易之也。」
曰：「王無異於百姓之以王為愛也。以小易大，彼惡知之？王若隱其無罪而就死地，則牛羊何擇焉？」
王笑曰：「是誠何心哉？我非愛其財而易之以羊也。宜乎百姓之謂我愛也。」
曰：「無傷也，是乃仁術也，見牛未見羊也。君子之於禽獸也，見其生，不忍見其死；聞其聲，不忍食其肉。是以君子遠庖廚也。」
王說曰：「《詩》云：『他人有心，予忖度之。』夫子之謂也。夫我乃行之，反而求之，不得吾心。夫子言之，於我心有戚戚焉。此心之所以合於王者，何也？」
曰：「有復於王者曰：『吾力足以舉百鈞，而不足以舉一羽；明足以察秋毫之末，而不見輿薪。』則王許之乎？」
曰：「否。」
「今恩足以及禽獸，而功不至於百姓者，獨何與？然則一羽之不舉，為不用力焉；輿薪之不見，為不用明焉；百姓之不見保，為不用恩焉。故王之不王，不為也，非不能也。」
曰：「不為者與不能者之形，何以異？」
曰：「挾太山以超北海，語人曰：『我不能。』是誠不能也。為長者折枝，語人曰：『我不能。』是不為也，非不能也。故王之不王，非挾太山以超北海之類也；王之不王，是折枝之類也。老吾老，以及人之老；幼吾幼，以及人之幼；天下可運於掌。《詩》云：『刑於寡妻，至於兄弟，以御於家邦。』言舉斯心加諸彼而已。故推恩足以保四海，不推恩無以保妻子。古之人所以大過人者，無他焉，善推其所為而已矣。今恩足以及禽獸，而功不至於百姓者，獨何與？權，然後知輕重；度，然後知長短。物皆然，心為甚。王請度之。抑王興甲兵，危士臣，構怨於諸侯，然後快於心與？」
王曰：「否。吾何快於是？將以求吾所大欲也。」
曰：「王之所大欲，可得聞與？」
王笑而不言。
曰：「為肥甘不足於口與？輕暖不足於體與？抑為采色不足視於目與？聲音不足聽於耳與？便嬖不足使令於前與？王之諸臣，皆足以供之；而王豈為是哉？」
曰：「否。吾不為是也。」
曰：「然則王之大欲，可知已：欲闢土地，朝秦楚，蒞中國而撫四夷也。以若所為，求若所欲，猶緣木而求魚也。」
王曰：「若是其甚與？」
曰：「殆有甚焉。緣木求魚，雖不得魚，無後災；以若所為，求若所欲，盡心力而為之，後必有災。」
曰：「可得聞與？」
曰：「鄒人與楚人戰，則王以為孰勝？」
曰：「楚人勝。」
曰：「然則小固不可以敵大，寡固不可以敵眾，弱固不可以敵強。海內之地，方千里者九，齊集有其一；以一服八，何以異於鄒敵楚哉？蓋亦反其本矣。今王發政施仁，使天下仕者皆欲立於王之朝，耕者皆欲耕於王之野，商賈皆欲藏於王之市，行旅皆欲出於王之途，天下之欲疾其君者皆欲赴愬於王。其若是，孰能御之？」
王曰：「吾惛，不能進於是矣。願夫子輔吾志，明以教我。我雖不敏，請嘗試之。」
曰：「無恆產而有恆心者，惟士為能。若民，則無恆產，因無恆心。苟無恆心，放辟邪侈，無不為已。及陷於罪，然後從而刑之，是罔民也。焉有仁人在位，罔民而可為也？是故明君制民之產，必使仰足以事父母，俯足以畜妻子；樂歲終身飽，凶年免於死亡；然後驅而之善，故民之從之也輕。今之制民之產，仰不足以事父母，俯不足以畜妻子；樂歲終身苦，凶年不免於死亡；此惟救死而恐不贍，奚暇治禮義哉？王欲行之，則盍反其本矣：五畝之宅，樹之以桑，五十者可以衣帛矣；雞豚狗彘之畜，無失其時，七十者可以食肉矣；百畝之田，勿奪其時，八口之家可以無饑矣；謹庠序之教，申之以孝悌之義，頒白者不負戴於道路矣。老者衣帛食肉，黎民不饑不寒，然而不王者，未之有也。」

### Book 1B · King Hui of Liang, Part Two

2.1 莊暴見孟子，曰：「暴見於王，王語暴以好樂，暴未有以對也。」曰：「好樂何如？」
孟子曰：「王之好樂甚，則齊國其庶幾乎!」
他日見於王，曰：「王嘗語莊子以好樂，有諸？」
王變乎色，曰：「寡人非能好先王之樂也，直好世俗之樂耳。」
曰：「王之好樂甚，則齊其庶幾乎！今之樂，猶古之樂也。」
曰：「可得聞與？」
曰：「獨樂樂，與人樂樂，孰樂？」
曰：「不若與人。」
曰：「與少樂樂，與眾樂樂，孰樂？」
曰：「不若與眾。」
「臣請為王言樂。今王鼓樂於此，百姓聞王鐘鼓之聲，管龠之音，舉疾首蹙頞而相告曰：『吾王之好鼓樂，夫何使我至於此極也？父子不相見，兄弟妻子離散。』今王田獵於此，百姓聞王車馬之音，見羽旄之美，舉疾首蹙頞而相告曰：『吾王之好田獵，夫何使我至於此極也？父子不相見，兄弟妻子離散。』此無他，不與民同樂也。今王鼓樂於此，百姓聞王鐘鼓之聲，管龠之音，舉欣欣然有喜色而相告曰：『吾王庶幾無疾病與，何以能鼓樂也？』今王田獵於此，百姓聞王車馬之音，見羽旄之美，舉欣欣然有喜色而相告曰：『吾王庶幾無疾病與，何以能田獵也？』此無他，與民同樂也。今王與百姓同樂，則王矣。」

2.2 齊宣王問曰：「文王之囿方七十里，有諸？」
孟子對曰：「於傳有之。」
曰：「若是其大乎？」
曰：「民猶以為小也。」
曰：「寡人之囿方四十里，民猶以為大，何也？」
曰：「文王之囿方七十里，芻蕘者往焉，雉兔者往焉，與民同之。民以為小，不亦宜乎？臣始至於境，問國之大禁，然後敢入。臣聞郊關之內有囿方四十里，殺其麋鹿者如殺人之罪，則是方四十里為阱於國中。民以為大，不亦宜乎？」

2.3 齊宣王問曰：「交鄰國有道乎？」
孟子對曰：「有。惟仁者為能以大事小，是故湯事葛，文王事昆夷。惟智者為能以小事大，故太王事獯鬻，勾踐事吳。以大事小者，樂天者也；以小事大者，畏天者也。樂天者，保天下；畏天者，保其國。《詩》云：『畏天之威，於時保之。』」
王曰：「大哉言矣！寡人有疾，寡人好勇。」
對曰：「王請無好小勇。夫撫劍疾視曰：『彼惡敢當我哉！』此匹夫之勇，敵一人者也。王請大之！《詩》云：『王赫斯怒，爰整其旅，以遏徂莒，以篤周祜，以對於天下。』此文王之勇也。文王一怒而安天下之民。《書》曰：『天降下民，作之君，作之師，惟曰：其助上帝，寵之四方。有罪無罪，惟我在，天下曷敢有越厥志？』一人衡行於天下，武王恥之，此武王之勇也。而武王亦一怒而安天下之民。今王亦一怒而安天下之民，民惟恐王之不好勇也。」

2.4 齊宣王見孟子於雪宮。王曰：「賢者亦有此樂乎？」
孟子對曰：「有。人不得，則非其上矣。不得而非其上者，非也；為民上，而不與民同樂者，亦非也。樂民之樂者，民亦樂其樂；憂民之憂者，民亦憂其憂。樂以天下，憂以天下；然而不王者，未之有也。昔者齊景公問於晏子曰：『吾欲觀於轉附、朝舞，遵海而南，放於琅邪；吾何修而可以比於先王觀也？晏子對曰：『善哉問也！天子適諸侯曰巡狩。巡狩者，巡所守也。諸侯朝於天子曰述職。述職者，述所職也。無非事者。春省耕而補不足，秋省斂而助不給。夏諺曰：『吾王不游，吾何以休？吾王不豫，吾何以助？一遊一豫，為諸侯度。』今也不然：師行而糧食，饑者弗食，勞者弗息；睊睊胥讒，民乃作慝。方命虐民，飲食若流；流連荒亡，為諸侯憂。從流下而忘反，謂之流；從流上而忘反，謂之連；從獸無厭，謂之荒；樂酒無厭，謂之亡。先王無流連之樂，荒亡之行。惟君所行也。景公說，大戒於國，出捨於郊。於是始興發補不足。召大師曰：『為我作君臣相說之樂。』蓋徴招、角招是也。其詩曰：『畜君何尤？』畜君者，好君也。」

2.5 齊宣王問曰：「人皆謂我毀明堂，毀諸？已乎？」
孟子對曰：「夫明堂者，王者之堂也。王欲行王政，則勿毀之矣。」
王曰：「王政可得聞與？」
對曰：「昔者文王之治岐也，耕者九一，仕者世祿，關市譏而不征，澤梁無禁，罪人不孥。老而無妻曰鰥，老而無夫曰寡，老而無子曰獨，幼而無父曰孤。此四者，天下之窮民而無告者。文王發政施仁，必先斯四者。詩云，『哿矣富人，哀此煢獨。』」
王曰：「善哉言乎！」
曰：「王如善之，則何為不行？」
王曰：「寡人有疾，寡人好貨。」
對曰：「昔者公劉好貨，《詩》云：『乃積乃倉，乃裹餱糧，於橐於囊。思戢用光。弓矢斯張，干戈戚揚，爰方啟行。』故居者有積倉，行者有裹糧也，然後可以爰方啟行。王如好貨，與百姓同之，於王何有？」
王曰：「寡人有疾，寡人好色。」
對曰：「昔者大王好色，愛厥妃。《詩》云：『古公亶父，來朝走馬；率西水滸，至於岐下；爰及姜女，聿來胥宇。』當是時也，內無怨女，外無曠夫；王如好色，與百姓同之，於王何有？」

2.6 孟子謂齊宣王，曰：「王之臣有托其妻子於其友而之楚游者，比其反也，則凍餒其妻子，則如之何？」
王曰：「棄之。」
曰：「士師不能治士，則如之何？」
王曰：「已之。」
曰：「四境之內不治，則如之何？」
王顧左右而言他。

2.7 孟子見齊宣王，曰：「所謂故國者，非謂有喬木之謂也，有世臣之謂也。王無親臣矣，昔者所進，今日不知其亡也。」
王曰：「吾何以識其不才而捨之？」
曰：「國君進賢，如不得已，將使卑逾尊，疏逾戚，可不慎與？左右皆曰賢，未可也；諸大夫皆曰賢，未可也；國人皆曰賢，然後察之；見賢焉，然後用之。左右皆曰不可，勿聽；諸大夫皆曰不可，勿聽；國人皆曰不可，然後察之；見不可焉，然後去之。左右皆曰可殺，勿聽；諸大夫皆曰可殺，勿聽；國人皆曰可殺，然後察之，見可殺焉，然後殺之。故曰，國人殺之也。如此，然後可以為民父母。」

2.8 齊宣王問曰：「湯放桀，武王伐紂，有諸？」
孟子對曰：「於傳有之。」
曰：「臣弒其君可乎？」
曰：「賊仁者謂之『賊』，賊義者謂之『殘』。殘賊之人謂之『一夫』。聞誅一夫紂矣，未聞弒君也。」

2.9 孟子見齊宣王，曰：「為巨室，則必使工師求大木。工師得大木，則王喜，以為能勝其任也。匠人斫而小之，則王怒，以為不勝其任矣。夫人幼而學之，壯而欲行之，王曰：『姑捨女所學而從我』，則何如？今有璞玉於此，雖萬鎰，必使玉人雕琢之。至於治國家，則曰：『姑捨女所學而從我』，則何以異於教玉人雕琢玉哉？」

2.10 齊人伐燕，勝之。宣王問曰：「或謂寡人勿取，或謂寡人取之。以萬乘之國伐萬乘之國，五旬而舉之，人力不至於此。不取必有天殃。取之何如？」
孟子對曰：「取之而燕民悅，則取之。古之人有行之者，武王是也。取之而燕民不悅，則勿取，古之人有行之者，文王是也。以萬乘之國伐萬乘之國，簞食壺漿以迎王師，豈有他哉？避水火也。如水益深，如火益熱，亦運而已矣。」

2.11 齊人伐燕，取之。諸侯將謀救燕。宣王曰：「諸侯多謀伐寡人者，何以待之？」
孟子對曰：「臣聞七十里為政於天下者，湯是也。未聞以千里畏人者也。書曰：『湯一征，自葛始。」天下信之，東面而征，西夷怨；南面而征，北狄怨曰：『奚為後我？』民望之，若大旱之望雲霓也。歸市者不止，耕者不變。誅其君而弔其民，若時雨降。民大悅。書曰：『徯我后，后來其蘇。』今燕虐其民，王往而征之，民以為將拯己於水火之中也，簞食壺漿以迎王師。若殺其兄父，係累其子弟，毀其宗廟，遷其重器，如之何其可也？天下固畏齊之強也，今又倍地而不行仁政，是動天下之兵也。王速出令，反其旄倪，止其重器，謀於燕眾，置君而後去之，則猶可及止也。」

2.12 鄒與魯鬨。穆公問曰：「吾有司死者三十三人，而民莫之死也。誅之，則不可勝誅；不誅，則疾視其長上之死而不救，如之何則可也？」
孟子對曰：「凶年饑歲，君之民老弱轉乎溝壑，壯者散而之四方者，幾千人矣；而君之倉廩實，府庫充，有司莫以告，是上慢而殘下也。曾子曰：『戒之戒之！出乎爾者，反乎爾者也。』夫民今而後得反之也。君無尤焉！君行仁政，斯民親其上，死其長矣。」

2.13 滕文公問曰：「滕，小國也，間於齊、楚。事齊乎？事楚乎？」
孟子對曰：「是謀非吾所能及也。無已，則有一焉：鑿斯池也，築斯城也，與民守之，效死而民弗去，則是可為也。」

2.14 滕文公問曰：「齊人將築薛，吾甚恐，如之何則可？」
孟子對曰：「昔者大王居邠，狄人侵之，去之岐山之下居焉。非擇而取之，不得已也。苟為善，後世子孫必有王者矣。君子創業垂統，為可繼也。若夫成功，則天也。君如彼何哉？強為善而已矣。」

2.15 滕文公問曰：「滕，小國也；竭力以事大國，則不得免焉，如之何則可？」
孟子對曰：「昔者大王居邠，狄人侵之。事之以皮幣，不得免焉；事之以犬馬，不得免焉；事之以珠玉，不得免焉。乃屬其耆老而告之曰：『狄人之所欲者，吾土地也。吾聞之也：君子不以其所以養人者害人。二三子何患乎無君？我將去之。』去邠，逾梁山，邑於岐山之下居焉。邠人曰：『仁人也，不可失也。』從之者如歸市。或曰：『世守也，非身之所能為也。效死勿去。』君請擇於斯二者。」

2.16 魯平公將出，嬖人臧倉者請曰：「他日君出，則必命有司所之。今乘輿已駕矣，有司未知所之，敢請。」
公曰：「將見孟子。」
曰：「何哉，君所為輕身以先於匹夫者？以為賢乎？禮義由賢者出；而孟子之後喪逾前喪。君無見焉！」
公曰：「諾。」
樂正子入見，曰：「君奚為不見孟軻也？」
曰：「或告寡人曰，『孟子之後喪逾前喪』，是以不往見也。」
曰：「何哉，君所謂逾者？前以士，後以大夫；前以三鼎，而後以五鼎與？」
曰：「否，謂棺槨衣衾之美也。」
曰：「非所謂逾也，貧富不同也。」
樂正子見孟子，曰：「克告於君，君為來見也。嬖人有臧倉者沮君，君是以不果來也。」
曰：「行或使之；止或尼之。行、止，非人所能也。吾之不遇魯侯，天也。臧氏之子，焉能使予不遇哉？」

### Book 2A · Gongsun Chou, Part One

3.1 公孫丑問曰：「夫子當路於齊，管仲、晏子之功，可復許乎？」
孟子曰：「子誠齊人也，知管仲、晏子而已矣。或問乎曾西曰：『吾子與子路孰賢？』曾西蹙然曰：『吾先子之所畏也。』曰：『然則吾子與管仲孰賢？』曾西艴然不悅曰：『爾何曾比予於管仲？管仲得君如彼其專也，行乎國政如彼其久也，功烈如彼其卑也。爾何曾比予於是！』」曰：「管仲，曾西之所不為也，而子為我愿之乎？」
曰：「管仲以其君霸，晏子以其君顯，管仲、晏子猶不足為與？」
曰：「以齊王由反手也。」
曰：「若是，則弟子之惑滋甚。且以文王之德，百年而後崩，猶未洽於天下；武王、周公繼之，然後大行。今言王若易然，則文王不足法與？」
曰：「文王何可當也？由湯至於武丁，賢聖之君六七作。天下歸殷久矣；久則難變也。武丁朝諸侯有天下，猶運之掌也。紂之去武丁未久也，其故家遺俗、流風善政，猶有存者；又有微子、微仲、王子比干、箕子、膠鬲，皆賢人也，相與輔相之，故久而後失之也。尺地莫非其有也，一民莫非其臣也；然而文王猶方百里起，是以難也。齊人有言曰：『雖有智慧，不如乘勢；雖有镃基，不如待時。』今時則易然也。夏后、殷、周之盛，地未有過千里者也，而齊有其地矣；雞鳴狗吠相聞，而達乎四境，而齊有其民矣。地不改辟矣，民不改聚矣，行仁政而王，莫之能御也。且王者之不作，未有疏於此時者也；民之憔悴於虐政，未有甚於此時者也。饑者易為食，渴者易為飲。孔子曰：『德之流行，速於置郵而傳命。』當今之時，萬乘之國行仁政，民之悅之，猶解倒懸也。故事半古之人功必倍之，惟此時為然。」

3.2 公孫丑問曰：「夫子加齊之卿相，得行道焉，雖由此霸王不異矣。如此則動心否乎？」
孟子曰：「否，我四十不動心。」
曰：「若是則夫子過孟賁遠矣。」
曰：「是不難。告子先我不動心。」
曰：「不動心有道乎？」
曰：「有。北宮黝之養勇也，不膚橈，不目逃。思以一豪挫於人，若撻之於市朝。不受於褐寬博，亦不受於萬乘之君。視刺萬乘之君若刺褐夫。無嚴諸侯。惡聲至，必反之。孟施舍之所養勇也，曰：『視不勝猶勝也。量敵而後進，慮勝而後會，是畏三軍者也。舍豈能為必勝哉？能無懼而已矣。』孟施舍似曾子，北宮黝似子夏。夫二子之勇，未知其孰賢，然而孟施舍守約也。昔者曾子謂子襄曰：『子好勇乎？吾嘗聞大勇於夫子矣：自反而不縮，雖褐寬博，吾不惴焉；自反而縮，雖千萬人吾往矣。』孟施舍之守氣，又不如曾子之守約也。」
曰：「敢問夫子之不動心與告子之不動心，可得聞與？」
「告子曰：『不得於言，勿求於心；不得於心，勿求於氣。』不得於心，勿求於氣，可；不得於言，勿求於心，不可。夫志，氣之帥也；氣，體之充也。夫志至焉，氣次焉。故曰：持其志，無暴其氣。」
「既曰『志，至焉；氣，次焉』，又曰『持其志，無暴其氣』者，何也？」
曰：「志壹則動氣；氣壹則動志也。今夫蹶者趨者是氣也而反動其心。」
「敢問夫子惡乎長？」
曰：「我知言，我善養吾浩然之氣。」
「敢問何謂浩然之氣？」
曰：「難言也。其為氣也至大至剛，以直養而無害，則塞于天地之間。其為氣也配義與道，無是餒也。是集義所生者，非義襲而取之也。行有不慊於心則餒矣。我故曰：告子未嘗知義。以其外之也。必有事焉而勿正，心勿忘，勿助長也。無若宋人然。宋人有閔其苗之不長而揠之者，芒芒然歸，謂其人曰：『今日病矣！予助苗長矣！』其子趨而往視之，苗則槁矣！天下之不助苗長者寡矣。以為無益而舍之者，不耘苗者也。助之長者，揠苗者也，非徒無益，而又害之。」
「何謂知言？」
曰：「詖辭知其所蔽，淫辭知其所陷，邪辭知其所離，遁辭知其所窮。生於其心，害於其政；發於其政，害於其事。聖人復起，必從吾言矣。」
「宰我、子貢善為說辭，冉牛、閔子、顏淵善言德行；孔子兼之，曰：『我於辭命，則不能也。』然則夫子既聖矣乎？」
曰：「惡！是何言也！昔者子貢問於孔子曰：『夫子聖矣乎？』孔子曰：『聖則吾不能，我學不厭而教不倦也。』子貢曰：『學不厭，智也；教不倦，仁也。仁且智，夫子既聖矣。』夫聖，孔子不居，是何言也？」
「昔者竊聞之：子夏、子游、子張皆有聖人之一體，冉牛、閔子、顏淵則具體而微，敢問所安？」
曰：「姑舍是。」
曰：「伯夷、伊尹何如？」
曰：「不同道。非其君不事，非其民不使，治則進，亂則退，伯夷也。何事非君？何使非民？治亦進，亂亦進，伊尹也。可以仕則仕，可以止則止，可以久則久，可以速則速，孔子也。皆古聖人也。吾未能有行焉，乃所愿，則學孔子也。」
「伯夷、伊尹於孔子，若是班乎？」
曰：「否，自有生民以來，未有孔子也。」
曰：「然則有同與？」
曰：「有。得百里之地而君之，皆能以朝諸侯，有天下。行一不義、殺一不辜而得天下，皆不為也。是則同。」
曰：「敢問其所以異？」
曰：「宰我、子貢、有若，智足以知聖人；污，不至阿其所好。宰我曰：『以予觀於夫子，賢於堯、舜遠矣。』子貢曰：『見其禮而知其政，聞其樂而知其德。由百世之後，等百世之王，莫之能違也。自生民以來，未有夫子也。』有若曰：『豈惟民哉！麒麟之於走獸，鳳凰之於飛鳥，泰山之於丘垤，河海之於行潦，類也。聖人之於民，亦類也。出於其類，拔乎其萃。自生民以來，未有盛於孔子也。』」

3.3 孟子曰：「以力假仁者霸，霸必有大國；以德行仁者王，王不待大，湯以七十里，文王以百里。以力服人者，非心服也，力不贍也；以德服人者，中心悅而誠服也，如七十子之服孔子也。《詩》云：『自西自東，自南自北，無思不服。』此之謂也。」

3.4 孟子曰：「仁則榮，不仁則辱。今惡辱而居不仁，是猶惡濕而居下也。如惡之，莫如貴德而尊士。賢者在位，能者在職；國家閑暇，及是時明其政刑，雖大國，必畏之矣。《詩》云：『迨天之未陰雨，徹彼桑土，綢繆牖戶。今此下民，或敢侮予？』孔子曰：『為此詩者，其知道乎！能治其國家，誰敢侮之？』今國家閑暇，及是時般樂怠敖，是自求禍也。禍福無不自己求之者。《詩》云：『永言配命，自求多福。』《太甲》曰：『天作孽，猶可違；自作孽，不可活』，此之謂也。」

3.5 孟子曰：「尊賢使能，俊杰在位，則天下之士皆悅而愿立於其朝矣。市，廛而不征，法而不廛，則天下之商皆悅而愿藏於其市矣。關，譏而不征，則天下之旅皆悅而愿出於其路矣。耕者，助而不稅，則天下之農皆悅而愿耕於其野矣。廛，無夫、里之布，則天下之民皆悅而愿為之氓矣。信能行此五者，則鄰國之民仰之若父母矣。率其子弟攻其父母，自有生民以來未有能濟者也。如此，則無敵於天下。無敵於天下者，天吏也。然而不王者，未之有也。」

3.6 孟子曰：「人皆有不忍人之心。先王有不忍人之心，斯有不忍人之政矣。以不忍人之心，行不忍人之政，治天下可運之掌上。所以謂人皆有不忍人之心者，今人乍見孺子將入於井，皆有怵惕惻隱之心；非所以內交於孺子之父母也，非所以要譽於鄉黨朋友也，非惡其聲而然也。由是觀之，無惻隱之心，非人也。無羞惡之心，非人也。無辭讓之心，非人也。無是非之心，非人也。惻隱之心，仁之端也；羞惡之心，義之端也；辭讓之心，禮之端也；是非之心，智之端也。人之有是四端也，猶其有四體也。有是四端而自謂不能者，自賊者也；謂其君不能者，賊其君者也。凡有四端於我者，知皆擴而充之矣，若火之始然，泉之始達。茍能充之，足以保四海；茍不充之，不足以事父母。」

3.7 孟子曰：「矢人豈不仁於函人哉？矢人惟恐不傷人，函人惟恐傷人。巫匠亦然。故術不可不慎也。孔子曰：『里仁為美。擇不處仁，焉得智？』夫仁，天之尊爵也，人之安宅也。莫之御而不仁，是不智也。不仁不智，無禮無義，人役也。人役而恥為役，由弓人而恥為弓、矢人而恥為矢也。如恥之，莫如為仁。仁者如射：射者正己而後發；發而不中，不怨勝己者，反求諸己而已矣。」

3.8 孟子曰：「子路，人告之以有過則喜。禹聞善言則拜。大舜有大焉，善與人同，舍己從人，樂取於人以為善。自耕稼、陶、漁，以至為帝，無非取於人者。取諸人以為善，是與人為善者也。故君子莫大乎與人為善。」

3.9 孟子曰：「伯夷非其君不事，非其友不友。不立於惡人之朝，不與惡人言；立於惡人之朝，與惡人言，如以朝衣朝冠坐於涂炭。推惡惡之心，思與鄉人立，其冠不正，望望然去之，若將浼焉。是故諸侯雖有善其辭命而至者，不受也。不受也者，是亦不屑就已。柳下惠，不羞污君，不卑小官。進不隱賢，必以其道。遺佚而不怨，厄窮而不憫。故曰：『爾為爾，我為我。雖袒裼裸裎於我側，爾焉能浼我哉！』故由由然與之偕而不自失焉，援而止之而止。援而止之而止者，是亦不屑去已。」孟子曰：「伯夷隘，柳下惠不恭。隘與不恭，君子不由也。」

### Book 2B · Gongsun Chou, Part Two

4.1 孟子曰：「天時不如地利，地利不如人和。三里之城，七里之郭，環而攻之而不勝；夫環而攻之，必有得天時者矣，然而不勝者，是天時不如地利也。城非不高也，池非不深也，兵革非不堅利也，米粟非不多也，委而去之，是地利不如人和也。故曰：域民不以封疆之界，固國不以山溪之險，威天下不以兵革之利。得道者多助，失道者寡助。寡助之至，親戚畔之；多助之至，天下順之。以天下之所順，攻親戚之所畔，故君子有不戰，戰必勝矣。」

4.2 孟子將朝王。王使人來曰：「寡人如就見者也，有寒疾，不可以風；朝將視朝，不識可使寡人得見乎？」
對曰：「不幸而有疾，不能造朝。」
明日出弔於東郭氏。公孫丑曰：「昔者辭以病，今日弔，或者不可乎？」
曰：「昔者疾，今日愈，如之何不弔？」
王使人問疾，醫來。孟仲子對曰：「昔者有王命，有采薪之憂，不能造朝。今病小愈，趨造於朝；我不識能至否乎？」使數人要於路曰：「請必無歸而造於朝。」
不得已而之景丑氏宿焉。
景子曰：「內則父子，外則君臣，人之大倫也。父子主恩，君臣主敬。丑見王之敬子也，未見所以敬王也。」
曰：「惡！是何言也！齊人無以仁義與王言者，豈以仁義為不美也？其心曰『是何足與言仁義也』云爾，則不敬莫大乎是。我非堯舜之道不敢以陳於王前，故齊人莫如我敬王也。」
景子曰：「否，非此之謂也。《禮》曰：『父召無諾；君命召，不俟駕。』固將朝也，聞王命而遂不果，宜與夫禮若不相似然。」
曰：「豈謂是與？曾子曰：『晉楚之富，不可及也。彼以其富，我以吾仁；彼以其爵，我以吾義，吾何慊乎哉？』夫豈不義而曾子言之？是或一道也。天下有達尊三：爵一，齒一，德一。朝廷莫如爵，鄉黨莫如齒，輔世長民莫如德。惡得有其一，以慢其二哉？故將大有為之君，必有所不召之臣；欲有謀焉則就之。其尊德樂道，不如是不足以有為也。故湯之於伊尹，學焉而後臣之，故不勞而王；桓公之於管仲，學焉而後臣之，故不勞而霸；今天下地醜德齊，莫能相尚。無他，好臣其所教，而不好臣其所受教。湯之於伊尹，桓公之於管仲，則不敢召；管仲且猶不可召，而況不為管仲者乎？」

4.3 陳臻問曰：「前日於齊，王饋兼金一百而不受；於宋，饋七十鎰而受；於薛，饋五十鎰而受。前日之不受是，則今日之受非也；今日之受是，則前日之不受非也；夫子必居一於此矣。」
孟子曰：「皆是也。當在宋也，予將有遠行；行者必以贐，辭曰『饋贐』，予何為不受？當在薛也，予有戒心，辭曰『聞戒故為兵饋之』，予何為不受？若於齊則未有處也。無處而饋之，是貨之也；焉有君子而可以貨取乎？」

4.4 孟子之平陸，謂其大夫曰：「子之持戟之士，一日而三失伍，則去之否乎？」
曰：「不待三。」
「然則子之失伍也亦多矣。兇年饑歲，子之民老羸轉於溝壑，壯者散而之四方者幾千人矣。」
曰：「此非距心之所得為也。」
曰：「今有受人之牛羊而為之牧之者，則必為之求牧與芻矣。求牧與芻而不得，則反諸其人乎？抑亦立而視其死與？」
曰：「此則距心之罪也。」
他日，見於王曰：「王之為都者，臣知五人焉。知其罪者，惟孔距心。為王誦之。」
王曰：「此則寡人之罪也。」

4.5 孟子謂蚔蛙曰：「子之辭靈丘而請士師，似也，為其可以言也。今既數月矣，未可以言與？」
蚔蛙諫於王而不用，致為臣而去。
齊人曰：「所以為蚔蛙，則善矣；所以自為，則吾不知也。」
公都子以告。
曰：「吾聞之也：有官守者，不得其職則去；有言責者，不得其言則去。我無官守，我無言責也，則吾進退豈不綽綽然有餘裕哉？」

4.6 孟子為卿於齊，出弔於滕，王使蓋大夫王驩為輔行。王驩朝暮見，反齊、滕之路，未嘗與之言行事也。
公孫丑曰：「齊卿之位，不為小矣；齊、滕之路，不為近矣。反之而未嘗與言行事，何也？」
曰：「夫既或治之，予何言哉？」

4.7 孟子自齊葬於魯。反於齊，止於嬴。充虞請曰：「前日不知虞之不肖，使虞敦匠事；嚴，虞不敢請。今愿竊有請也：木若以美然。」
曰：「古者棺槨無度，中古棺七寸，槨稱之，自天子達於庶人。非直為觀美也，然後盡於人心。不得，不可以為悅；無財，不可以為悅。得之為有財。古之人皆用之，吾何為獨不然？且比化者，無使土親膚，於人心獨無恔乎？吾聞之君子：不以天下儉其親。」

4.8 沈同以其私問曰：「燕可伐與？」
孟子曰：「可。子噲不得與人燕，子之不得受燕於子噲。有仕於此，而子悅之，不告於王，而私與之吾子之祿爵；夫士也，亦無王命而私受之於子，則可乎？何以異於是？」
齊人伐燕。或問曰：「勸齊伐燕，有諸？」
曰：「未也。沈同問：『燕可伐與？』吾應之曰：『可。』彼然而伐之也。彼如曰：『孰可以伐之？』則將應之曰：『為天吏則可以伐之。』今有殺人者，或問之曰：『人可殺與？』則將應之曰：『可。』彼如曰：『孰可以殺之？』則將應之曰：『為士師則可以殺之。』今以燕伐燕，何為勸之哉？」

4.9 燕人畔，王曰：「吾甚慚於孟子。」
陳賈曰：「王無患焉，王自以為與周公，孰仁且智？」
王曰：「惡！是何言也！」
曰：「周公使管叔監殷，管叔以殷畔。知而使之，是不仁也；不知而使之，是不智也。仁智，周公未之盡也，而況於王乎？賈請見而解之。」
見孟子問曰：「周公何人也？」
曰：「古聖人也。」
曰：「使管叔監殷，管叔以殷畔也，有諸？」
曰：「然。」
曰：「周公知其將畔而使之與？」
曰：「不知也。」
「然則聖人且有過與？」
曰：「周公，弟也；管叔，兄也。周公之過，不亦宜乎？且古之君子，過則改之；今之君子，過則順之。古之君子，其過也如日月之食，民皆見之；及其更也，民皆仰之。今之君子，豈徒順之？又從為之辭。」

4.10 孟子致為臣而歸。
王就見孟子曰：「前日愿見而不可得，得侍同朝甚喜。今又棄寡人而歸，不識可以繼此而得見乎？」
對曰：「不敢請耳，固所愿也。」
他日王謂時子曰：「我欲中國而授孟子室，養弟子以萬鍾，使諸大夫國人皆有所矜式。子盍為我言之？」
時子因陳子而以告孟子，陳子以時子之言告孟子。
孟子曰：「然。夫時子惡知其不可也？如使予欲富，辭十萬而受萬，是為欲富乎？季孫曰：『異哉子叔疑！使己為政，不用，則亦已矣，又使其子弟為卿。人亦孰不欲富貴？而獨於富貴之中有私龍斷焉。』古之為市也，以其所有易其所無者，有司者治之耳。有賤丈夫焉，必求龍斷而登之，以左右望而罔市利。人皆以為賤，故從而征之。征商自此賤丈夫始矣。」

4.11 孟子去齊，宿於晝。有欲為王留行者，坐而言。不應，隱几而臥。
客不悅曰：「弟子齊宿而後敢言；夫子臥而不聽；請勿復敢見矣。」
曰：「坐。我明語子：昔者魯繆公無人乎子思之側，則不能安子思；泄柳、申詳無人乎繆公之側，則不能安其身。子為長者慮，而不及子思。子絕長者乎？長者絕子乎？」

4.12 孟子去齊，尹士語人曰：「不識王之不可以為湯、武，則是不明也；識其不可然且至，則是干澤也。千里而見王，不遇故去；三宿而後出晝，是何濡滯也！士則茲不悅。」
高子以告。
曰：「夫尹士惡知予哉？千里而見王，是予所欲也。不遇故去，豈予所欲哉？予不得已也。予三宿而出晝，於予心猶以為速。王庶幾改之！王如改諸，則必反予。夫出晝而王不予追也，予然後浩然有歸志。予雖然，豈舍王哉？王由足用為善；王如用予，則豈徒齊民安？天下之民舉安。王庶幾改之！予日望之！予豈若是小丈夫然哉！諫於其君而不受，則怒，悻悻然見於其面，去則窮日之力而後宿哉？」
尹士聞之，曰：「士誠小人也。」

4.13 孟子去齊，充虞路問曰：「夫子若有不豫色然。前日虞聞諸夫子曰：『君子不怨天，不尤人。』」
曰：「彼一時，此一時也。五百年必有王者興，其間必有名世者。由周而來，七百有餘歲矣；以其數則過矣，以其時考之則可矣。夫天，未欲平治天下也，如欲平治天下，當今之世，舍我其誰也？吾何為不豫哉？」

4.14 孟子去齊，居休。公孫丑問曰：「仕而不受祿，古之道乎？」
曰：「非也。於崇，吾得見王；退而有去志，不欲變，故不受也。繼而有師命，不可以請。久於齊，非我志也。」

### Book 3A · Duke Wen of Teng, Part One

5.1 滕文公為世子，將之楚，過宋而見孟子。孟子道性善，言必稱堯、舜。
世子自楚反，復見孟子。孟子曰：「世子疑吾言乎？夫道一而已矣。成覸謂齊景公曰：『彼丈夫也，我丈夫也，吾何畏彼哉？』顏淵曰：『舜何人也？予何人也？有為者亦若是。』公明儀曰：『文王我師也，周公豈欺我哉？』今滕絕長補短，將五十里也，猶可以為善國。《書》曰：『若藥不瞑眩，厥疾不瘳。』」

5.2 滕定公薨，世子謂然友曰：「昔者孟子嘗與我言於宋，於心終不忘。今也不幸至於大故，吾欲使子問於孟子，然後行事。」
然友之鄒問於孟子。
孟子曰：「不亦善乎！親喪固所自盡也。曾子曰：『生，事之以禮；死，葬之以禮，祭之以禮，可謂孝矣。』諸侯之禮，吾未之學也。雖然，吾嘗聞之矣：三年之喪，齋疏之服，飦粥之食，自天子達於庶人，三代共之。」
然友反命，定為三年之喪。父兄百官皆不欲也，故曰：「吾宗國魯先君莫之行，吾先君亦莫之行也；至於子之身而反之，不可。且《志》曰：『喪祭從先祖。』」曰：「吾有所受之也。」
謂然友曰：「吾他日未嘗學問，好馳馬試劍。今也父兄百官不我足也；恐其不能盡於大事。子為我問孟子。」
然友復之鄒問孟子。
孟子曰：「然，不可以他求者也。孔子曰：『君薨，聽於冢宰，飦粥，面深墨，即位而哭。百官有司，莫敢不哀，先之也。上有好者，下必有甚焉者矣。君子之德，風也；小人之德，草也。草上之風必偃。』。是在世子。」
然友反命。
世子曰：「然，是誠在我。」
五月居廬，未有命戒。百官族人，可謂曰知。及至葬，四方來觀之。顏色之戚，哭泣之哀，弔者大悅。

5.3 滕文公問為國。
孟子曰：「民事不可緩也。《詩》云：『晝爾于茅，宵爾索绹。亟其乘屋，其始播百穀。』民之為道也，有恒產者有恒心，無恒產者無恒心。茍無恒心，放僻邪侈，無不為已。及陷乎罪然後從而刑之，是罔民也。焉有仁人在位罔民而可為也？是故賢君必恭儉禮下，取於民有制。陽虎曰：『為富不仁矣；為仁不富矣。』
夏后氏五十而貢，殷人七十而助，周人百畝而徹。其實皆什一也。徹者徹也，助者藉也。龍子曰：『治地莫善於助，莫不善於貢。貢者校數歲之中以為常。樂歲粒米狼戾，多取之而不為虐，則寡取之；兇年糞其田而不足，則必取盈焉。為民父母，使民盻盻然，將終歲勤動，不得以養其父母，又稱貸而益之，使老稚轉乎溝壑，惡在其為民父母也？』夫世祿滕固行之矣。《詩》云：『雨我公田，遂及我私。』惟助為有公田。由此觀之，雖周亦助也。
設為庠序學校以教之。庠者養也，校者教也，序者射也。夏曰校，殷曰序，周曰庠，學則三代共之，皆所以明人倫也。人倫明於上，小民親於下。有王者起，必來取法，是為王者師也。《詩》云：『周雖舊邦，其命維新。』文王之謂也。子力行之，亦以新子之國！」
使畢戰問井地。
孟子曰：「子之君將行仁政，選擇而使子，子必勉之。夫仁政必自經界始。經界不正，井地不均，穀祿不平。是故暴君污吏必慢其經界。經界既正，分田制祿，可坐而定也。」
「夫滕壤地褊小，將為君子焉，將為野人焉。無君子莫治野人，無野人莫養君子。請野九一而助，國中什一使自賦。卿以下必有圭田。圭田五十畝，餘夫二十五畝。死徙無出鄉，鄉田同井，出入相友，守望相助，疾病相扶持，則百姓親睦。方里而井；井九百畝，其中為公田。八家皆私百畝，同養公田。公事畢，然後敢治私事，所以別野人也。此其大略也。若夫潤澤之，則在君與子矣。」

5.4 有為神農之言者許行，自楚之滕，踵門而告文公，曰：「遠方之人，聞君行仁政，愿受一廛而為氓。」文公與之處。其徒數十人，皆衣褐、捆屨、織席以為食。
陳良之徒陳相與其弟辛，負耒耜而自宋之滕。曰：「聞君行聖人之政，是亦聖人也，愿為聖人氓。」
陳相見許行而大悅，盡棄其學而學焉。
陳相見孟子，道許行之言曰：「滕君則誠賢君也；雖然，未聞道也。賢者與民并耕而食，饔飧而治。今也滕有倉廩府庫，則是厲民而以自養也，惡得賢？」
孟子曰：「許子必種粟而後食乎？」
曰：「然。」
「許子必織布而後衣乎？」
曰：「否，許子衣褐。」
「許子冠乎？」
曰：「冠。」
曰：「奚冠？」
曰：「冠素。」
曰：「自織之與？」
曰：「否，以粟易之。」
曰：「許子奚為不自織？」
曰：「害於耕。」
曰：「許子以釜甑爨、以鐵耕乎？」
曰：「然。」
「自為之與？」
曰：「否，以粟易之。」
「以粟易械器者，不為厲陶冶；陶冶亦以其械器易粟者，豈為厲農夫哉？且許子何不為陶冶，舍皆取諸其宮中而用之？何為紛紛然與百工交易？何許子之不憚煩？」
曰：「百工之事，固不可耕且為也。」
「然則治天下獨可耕且為與？有大人之事，有小人之事。且一人之身，而百工之所為備。如必自為而後用之，是率天下而路也。故曰：或勞心，或勞力。勞心者治人，勞力者治於人。治於人者食人，治人者食於人──天下之通義也。」
「當堯之時，天下猶未平，洪水橫流，氾濫於天下；草木暢茂，禽獸繁殖；五穀不登，禽獸偪人；獸蹄鳥跡之道，交於中國。堯獨憂之，舉舜而敷治焉。舜使益掌火；益烈山澤而焚之，禽獸逃匿。禹疏九河，瀹濟、漯而注諸海；決汝、漢，排淮、泗，而注之江，然後中國可得而食也。當是時也，禹八年於外，三過其門而不入，雖欲耕，得乎？」
「后稷教民稼穡，樹藝五穀，五穀熟而民人育。人之有道也，飽食煖衣，逸居而無教，則近於禽獸。聖人有憂之，使契為司徒，教以人倫：父子有親，君臣有義，夫婦有別，長幼有序，朋友有信。放勛曰：『勞之來之、匡之直之、輔之翼之，使自得之；又從而振德之。』聖人之憂民如此，而暇耕乎？」
「堯以不得舜為己憂；舜以不得禹、皋陶為己憂。夫以百畝之不易為己憂者，農夫也。分人以財謂之惠，教人以善謂之忠，為天下得人者謂之仁。是故以天下與人易，為天下得人難。孔子曰：『大哉，堯之為君！惟天為大，惟堯則之。蕩蕩乎民無能名焉！君哉舜也！巍巍乎有天下而不與焉！』堯舜之治天下，豈無所用其心哉？亦不用於耕耳。」
「吾聞用夏變夷者，未聞變於夷者也。陳良，楚產也；悅周公、仲尼之道，北學於中國，北方之學者，未能或之先也。彼所謂豪傑之士也。子之兄弟事之數十年，師死而遂倍之。昔者孔子沒，三年之外，門人治任將歸，入揖於子貢，相向而哭，皆失聲，然後歸。子貢反，筑室於場，獨居三年，然後歸。他日子夏、子張、子游以有若似聖人，欲以所事孔子事之，強曾子。曾子曰：『不可，江漢以濯之，秋陽以暴之，皜皜乎不可尚已。』今也南蠻鴃舌之人，非先王之道，子倍子之師而學之，亦異於曾子矣。吾聞出於幽谷、遷于喬木者，未聞下喬木而入於幽谷者。魯頌曰：『戎狄是膺，荊舒是懲。』周公方且膺之，子是之學，亦為不善變矣。」
「從許子之道，則市賈不貳，國中無偽；雖使五尺之童適市，莫之或欺。布帛長短同，則賈相若；麻縷絲絮輕重同，則賈相若；五穀多寡同，則賈相若；屨大小同，則賈相若。」
曰：「夫物之不齊，物之情也。或相倍蓰，或相什百，或相千萬；子比而同之，是亂天下也。巨屨小屨同賈，人豈為之哉？從許子之道，相率而為偽者也，惡能治國家？」

5.5 墨者夷之，因徐辟而求見孟子。孟子曰：「吾固愿見，今吾尚病，病愈，我且往見。」夷子不來！
他日又求見孟子。孟子曰：「吾今則可以見矣。不直則道不見，我且直之。吾聞夷子墨者，墨者之治喪也，以薄為其道也。夷子思以易天下，豈以為非是而不貴也？然而夷子葬其親厚，則是以所賤事親也。」
徐子以告夷子。
夷子曰：「儒者之道，古之人『若保赤子』，此言何謂也？之則以為愛無差等，施由親始。」
徐子以告孟子。
孟子曰：「夫夷子信以為人之親其兄之子為若親其鄰之赤子乎？彼有取爾也。赤子匍匐將入井，非赤子之罪也。且天之生物也使之一本，而夷子二本故也。蓋上世嘗有不葬其親者，其親死則舉而委之於壑。他日過之，狐貍食之，蠅蚋姑嘬之。其顙有泚，睨而不視。夫泚也，非為人泚，中心達於面目。蓋歸反虆梩而掩之，掩之誠是也。則孝子仁人之掩其親，亦必有道矣。」
徐子以告夷子。夷子憮然為間曰：「命之矣！」

### Book 3B · Duke Wen of Teng, Part Two

6.1 陳代曰：「不見諸侯，宜若小然。今一見之，大則以王，小則以霸。且《志》曰：『枉尺而直尋。』宜若可為也。」
孟子曰：「昔齊景公田，招虞人以旌，不至，將殺之。『志士不忘在溝壑，勇士不忘喪其元。』孔子奚取焉？取非其招不往也。如不待其招而往，何哉？且夫枉尺而直尋者，以利言也。如以利，則枉尋直尺而利，亦可為與？昔者趙簡子使王良與嬖奚乘，終日而不獲一禽。嬖奚反命曰：『天下之賤工也。』或以告王良，良曰：『請復之。』強而後可，一朝而獲十禽。嬖奚反命曰：『天下之良工也。』簡子曰：『我使掌與女乘。』謂王良。良不可，曰：『吾為之范，我馳驅，終日不獲一；為之詭遇，一朝而獲十。《詩》云：「不失其馳，舍矢如破。」我不貫與小人乘，請辭。』御者且羞與射者比。比而得禽獸，雖若丘陵，弗為也。如枉道而從彼，何也？且子過矣，枉己者，未有能直人者也。」

6.2 景春曰：「公孫衍、張儀豈不誠大丈夫哉？一怒而諸侯懼，安居而天下熄。」
孟子曰：「是焉得為大丈夫乎？子未學禮乎？丈夫之冠也，父命之；女子之嫁也，母命之，往送之門，戒之曰：『往之女家，必敬必戒，無違夫子。』以順為正者，妾婦之道也。居天下之廣居，立天下之正位，行天下之大道；得志與民由之，不得志，獨行其道；富貴不能淫，貧賤不能移，威武不能屈──此之謂大丈夫。」

6.3 周霄問曰：「古之君子仕乎？」
孟子曰：「仕。傳曰：『孔子三月無君，則皇皇如也。出疆必載質。』公明儀曰：『古之人三月無君則弔。』」
「三月無君則弔，不以急乎？」
曰：「士之失位也，猶諸侯之失國家也。《禮》曰：『諸侯耕助，以供粢盛。夫人蠶繅，以為衣服。犧牲不成，粢盛不潔，衣服不備，不敢以祭。惟士無田，則亦不祭。』牲殺器皿衣服不備，不敢以祭，則不敢以宴，亦不足弔乎？」
「出疆必載質，何也？」
曰：「士之仕也，猶農夫之耕也。農夫豈為出疆舍其耒耜哉？」
曰：「晉國亦仕國也，未嘗聞仕如此其急。仕如此其急也，君子之難仕，何也？」
曰：「丈夫生而愿為之有室，女子生而愿為之有家。父母之心，人皆有之。不待父母之命、媒妁之言，鉆穴隙相窺，逾墻相從，則父母、國人皆賤之。古之人未嘗不欲仕也，又惡不由其道。不由其道而往者，與鉆穴隙之類也。」

6.4 彭更問曰：「後車數十乘，從者數百人，以傳食於諸侯，不以泰乎？」
孟子曰：「非其道，則一簞食不可受於人。如其道，則舜受堯之天下，不以為泰，子以為泰乎？」
曰：「否。士無事而食，不可也。」
曰：「子不通功易事，以羨補不足，則農有餘粟，女有餘布。子如通之，則梓匠輪輿皆得食於子。於此有人焉；入則孝，出則悌，守先王之道，以待後之學者，而不得食於子。子何尊梓匠輪輿而輕為仁義者哉？」
曰：「梓匠輪輿，其志將以求食也。君子之為道也，其志亦將以求食與？」
曰：「子何以其志為哉？其有功於子，可食而食之矣。且子食志乎？食功乎？」
曰：「食志。」
曰：「有人於此，毀瓦畫墁，其志將以求食也，則子食之乎？」
曰：「否。」
曰：「然則子非食志也，食功也。」

6.5 萬章問曰：「宋，小國也，今將行王政，齊、楚惡而伐之，則如之何？」
孟子曰：「湯居亳，與葛為鄰。葛伯放而不祀，湯使人問之曰：『何為不祀？』曰：『無以供犧牲也。』湯使遺之牛羊，葛伯食之，又不以祀。湯又使人問之曰：『何為不祀？』曰：『無以供粢盛也。』湯使亳眾往為之耕，老弱饋食。葛伯率其民，要其有酒食黍稻者奪之，不授者殺之。有童子以黍肉餉，殺而奪之。《書》曰：『葛伯仇餉』，此之謂也。為其殺是童子而征之，四海之內皆曰：『非富天下也，為匹夫匹婦復讎也。』湯始征，自葛載。十一征而無敵於天下。東面而征，西夷怨；南面而征，北狄怨，曰：『奚為後我？』民之望之若大旱之望雨也。歸市者弗止，蕓者不變。誅其君，弔其民，如時雨降，民大悅。《書》曰：『徯我后，后來其無罰。』『有攸不惟臣，東征，綏厥士女。篚厥玄黃，紹我周王見休，惟臣附于大邑周。』其君子實玄黃于篚以迎其君子，其小人簞食壺漿以迎其小人。救民於水火之中，取其殘而已矣。《太誓》曰：『我武惟揚，侵于之疆。則取于殘，殺伐用張，于湯有光。』不行王政云爾；苟行王政，四海之內皆舉首而望之，欲以為君。齊楚雖大，何畏焉？」

6.6 孟子謂戴不勝曰：「子欲子之王之善與？我明告子：有楚大夫於此，欲其子之齊語也，則使齊人傅諸？使楚人傅諸？」
曰：「使齊人傅之。」
曰：「一齊人傅之，眾楚人咻之，雖日撻而求其齊也，不可得矣。引而置之莊岳之間數年，雖日撻而求其楚，亦不可得矣。子謂薛居州，善士也，使之居於王所。在於王所者，長幼卑尊皆薛居州也，王誰與為不善？在王所者，長幼卑尊皆非薛居州也，王誰與為善？一薛居州，獨如宋王何？」

6.7 公孫丑問曰：「不見諸侯，何義？」
孟子曰：「古者不為臣不見。段干木逾垣而辟之，泄柳閉門而不納。是皆已甚；迫，斯可以見矣。陽貨欲見孔子，而惡無禮。大夫有賜於士，不得受於其家，則往拜其門。陽貨矙孔子之亡也，而饋孔子蒸豚，孔子亦矙其亡也而往拜之。當是時，陽貨先，豈得不見？曾子曰：『脅肩諂笑，病于夏畦。』子路曰：『未同而言，觀其色，赧赧然，非由之所知也。』由是觀之，則君子之所養，可知已矣。」

6.8 戴盈之曰：「什一，去關市之征，今茲未能。請輕之，以待來年，然後已，何如？」
孟子曰：「今有人日攘其鄰之雞者，或告之曰：『是非君子之道。』曰：『請損之，月攘一雞；以待來年，然後已。』如知其非義，斯速已矣，何待來年？」

6.9 公都子曰：「外人皆稱夫子好辯，敢問何也？」
孟子曰：「予豈好辯哉？予不得已也。天下之生久矣，一治一亂。當堯之時，水逆行，泛濫於中國。蛇龍居之，民無所定。下者為巢，上者為營窟。《書》曰：『洚水警餘。』洚水者，洪水也。使禹治之。禹掘地而注之海，驅蛇龍而放之菹，水由地中行，江、淮、河、漢是也。險阻既遠，鳥獸之害人者消，然後人得平土而居之。」
「堯、舜既沒，聖人之道衰。暴君代作，壤宮室以為污池，民無所安息；棄田以為園囿，使民不得衣食。邪說暴行又作。園囿污地沛澤多，而禽獸至。及紂之身，天下又大亂。周公相武王，誅紂、伐奄，三年討其君；驅飛廉於海隅而戮之；滅國者五十；驅虎豹犀象而遠之。天下大悅。《書》曰：『丕顯哉文王謨！丕承哉武王烈！佑啟我後人，咸以正無缺。』」
「世衰道微，邪說暴行有作。臣弒其君者有之，子弒其父者有之。孔子懼，作《春秋》。《春秋》，天子之事也。是故孔子曰：『知我者，其惟《春秋》乎！罪我者，其惟《春秋》乎！』」
「聖王不作，諸侯放恣，處士橫議。楊朱、墨翟之言盈天下。天下之言，不歸楊則歸墨。楊氏為我，是無君也。墨氏兼愛，是無父也。無父無君，是禽獸也。公明儀曰：『庖有肥肉，廄有肥馬，民有饑色，野有餓莩，此率獸而食人也。』楊墨之道不息，孔子之道不著，是邪說誣民、充塞仁義也。仁義充塞，則率獸食人，人將相食。吾為此懼，閑先聖之道，距楊墨、放淫辭，邪說者不得作。作於其心，害於其事；作於其事，害於其政。聖人復起，不易吾言矣。」
「昔者禹抑洪水而天下平，周公兼夷狄、驅猛獸而百姓寧，孔子成《春秋》而亂臣賊子懼。《詩》云：『戎狄是膺，荊舒是懲；則莫我敢承。』無父無君，是周公所膺也。我亦欲正人心、息邪說、距詖行、放淫辭，以承三聖者。豈好辯哉？予不得已也。能言距楊墨者，聖人之徒也。」

6.10 匡章曰：「陳仲子豈不誠廉士哉？居於於陵，三日不食，耳無聞，目無見也。井上有李，螬食實者過半矣，匍匐往將食之，三咽，然後耳有聞、目有見。」
孟子曰：「於齊國之士，吾必以仲子為巨擘焉。雖然，仲子惡能廉？充仲子之操，則蚓而後可者也。夫蚓上食槁壤，下飲黃泉。仲子所居之室，伯夷之所筑與？抑亦盜跖之所筑與？所食之粟，伯夷之所樹與？抑亦盜跖之所樹與？是未可知也。」
曰：「是何傷哉？彼身織屨、妻辟纑，以易之也。」
曰：「仲子，齊之世家也。兄戴，蓋祿萬鍾。以兄之祿為不義之祿而不食也，以兄之室為不義之室而不居也，避兄、離母，處於於陵。他日歸，則有饋其兄生鵝者，己頻戚曰：『惡用是鶃鶃者為哉？』他日其母殺是鵝也，與之食之。其兄自外至，曰：『是鶃鶃之肉也。』出而哇之。以母則不食，以妻則食之；以兄之室則弗居，以於陵則居之。是尚為能充其類也乎？若仲子者，蚓而後充其操者也。」

### Book 4A · Li Lou, Part One

7.1 孟子曰：「離婁之明，公輸子之巧，不以規矩，不能成方員。師曠之聰，不以六律，不能正五音。堯舜之道，不以仁政，不能平治天下。今有仁心仁聞而民不被其澤，不可法於後世者，不行先王之道也。故曰：徒善不足以爲政，徒法不能以自行。《詩》云：『不愆不忘，率由舊章。』遵先王之法而過者，未之有也。聖人既竭目力焉，繼之以規矩準繩，以爲方員平直，不可勝用也。既竭耳力焉，繼之以六律正五音，不可勝用也。既竭心思焉，繼之以不忍人之政而仁覆天下矣。故曰：爲髙必因丘陵，爲下必因川澤。爲政不因先王之道，可謂智乎？是以惟仁者宜在髙位。不仁而在髙位，是播其惡於衆也。上無道揆也，下無法守也；朝不信道，工不信度；君子犯義，小人犯刑，國之所存者幸也。故曰：城郭不完，兵甲不多，非國之災也。田野不辟，貨財不聚，非國之害也。上無禮，下無學，賊民興，喪無日矣。《詩》曰：『天之方蹶，無然泄泄。』泄泄猶沓沓也。事君無義，進退無禮，言則非先王之道者，猶沓沓也。故曰：責難於君謂之恭，陳善閉邪謂之敬，吾君不能謂之賊。」

7.2 孟子曰：「規矩，方員之至也。聖人，人倫之至也。欲爲君，盡君道；欲爲臣，盡臣道，二者皆法堯舜而已矣。不以舜之所以事堯事君，不敬其君者也；不以堯之所以治民治民，賊其民者也。孔子曰：『道二，仁與不仁而已矣。』暴其民甚，則身弒國亡，不甚，則身危國削，名之曰『幽』、『厲』，雖孝子慈孫，百世不能改也。《詩》云：『殷鑒不遠，在夏后之世。』此之謂也。」

7.3 孟子曰：「三代之得天下也以仁，其失天下也以不仁。國之所以廢興存亡者亦然。天子不仁，不保四海；諸侯不仁，不保社稷；卿大夫不仁，不保宗廟；士庶人不仁，不保四體。今惡死亡而樂不仁，是由惡醉而強酒。」

7.4 孟子曰：「愛人不親，反其仁；治人不治，反其智；禮人不答，反其敬。行有不得者，皆反求諸己。其身正而天下歸之。《詩》云：『永言配命，自求多福。』」

7.5 孟子曰：「人有恒言，皆曰『天下國家』，天下之本在國，國之本在家，家之本在身。」

7.6 孟子曰：「爲政不難，不得罪於巨室。巨室之所慕，一國慕之；一國之所慕，天下慕之。故沛然德教，溢乎四海。」

7.7 孟子曰：「天下有道，小德役大德，小賢役大賢。天下無道，小役大，弱役強，斯二者，天也。順天者存，逆天者亡。齊景公曰：『既不能令，又不受命，是絶物也。』涕出而女於呉。今也小國師大國，而恥受命焉，是猶弟子而恥受命於先師也。如恥之，莫若師文王，師文王，大國五年，小國七年，必爲政於天下矣。《詩》云：『商之孫子，其麗不億。上帝既命，侯于周服。侯服于周，天命靡常。殷士膚敏，祼將于京。』孔子曰：『仁不可爲衆也夫！國君好仁，天下無敵。』今也欲無敵於天下，而不以仁，是猶執熱而不以濯也。《詩》云：『誰能執熱，逝不以濯？』」

7.8 孟子曰：「不仁者，可與言哉？安其危而利其葘，樂其所以亡者。不仁而可與言，則何亡國敗家之有？有孺子歌曰：『滄浪之水淸兮，可以濯我纓；滄浪之水濁兮，可以濯我足。』孔子曰：『小子聽之！淸斯濯纓，濁斯濯足矣，自取之也。』夫人必自侮，然後人侮之；家必自毀，而後人毀之；國必自伐，而後人伐之。《太甲》曰：『天作孽，猶可違；自作孽，不可活』，此之謂也。」

7.9 孟子曰：「桀紂之失天下也，失其民也。失其民者，失其心也。得天下有道：得其民斯得天下矣。得其民有道，得其心斯得民矣。得其心有道：所欲，與之聚之；所惡，勿施爾也。民之歸仁也，猶水之就下，獸之走壙也。故爲淵驅魚者，獺也；爲叢驅爵者，鹯也；爲湯、武驅民者，桀與紂也。今天下之君有好仁者，則諸侯皆爲之駆矣；雖欲無王，不可得已。今之欲王者，猶七年之病求三年之艾也。茍爲不畜，終身不得。茍不志於仁，終身憂辱，以陷於死亡。《詩》云：『其何能淑？載胥及溺』，此之謂也。」

7.10 孟子曰：「自暴者，不可與有言也；自棄者，不可與有爲也。言非禮義，謂之自暴也；吾身不能居仁由義，謂之自棄也。」「仁，人之安宅也；義，人之正路也。曠安宅而弗居，舍正路而不由，哀哉！」

7.11 孟子曰：「道在邇，而求諸遠；事在易，而求諸難。人人親其親、長其長，而天下平。」

7.12 孟子曰：「居下位而不獲於上，民不可得而治也。獲於上有道，不信於友，弗獲於上矣。信於友有道，事親弗悅，弗信於友矣。悅親有道，反身不誠，不悅於親矣。誠身有道，不明乎善，不誠其身矣。是故誠者，天之道也。思誠者，人之道也。至誠而不動者，未之有也。不誠，未有能動者也。」

7.13 孟子曰：「伯夷辟紂，居北海之濱，聞文王作興，曰：『盍歸乎來！吾聞西伯善養老者。』太公辟紂，居東海之濱，聞文王作興，曰：『盍歸乎來！吾聞西伯善養老者。』二老者，天下之大老也而歸之，是天下之父歸之也。天下之父歸之，其子焉往？諸侯有行文王之政者，七年之内，必爲政於天下矣。」

7.14 孟子曰：「求也，爲季氏宰，無能改於其德，而賦粟倍他日。孔子曰：『求非我徒也，小子鳴鼓而攻之，可也。』由此觀之，君不行仁政而富之，皆棄於孔子者也，況於爲之強戰？爭地以戰，殺人盈野；爭城以戰，殺人盈城，此所謂率土地而食人肉，罪不容於死。故善戰者服上刑，連諸侯者次之，辟草萊、任土地者次之。」

7.15 孟子曰：「存乎人者，莫良於眸子，眸子不能掩其惡。胸中正，則眸子瞭焉；胸中不正，則眸子眊焉。聽其言也，觀其眸子，人焉廋哉？」

7.16 孟子曰：「恭者不侮人，儉者不奪人。侮奪人之君，惟恐不順焉，惡得爲恭儉？恭儉豈可以聲音笑貌爲哉？」

7.17 淳于髡曰：「男女授受不親，禮與？」
孟子曰：「禮也。」
曰：「嫂溺則援之以手乎？」
曰：「嫂溺不援，是豺狼也。男女授受不親，禮也。嫂溺援之以手者，權也。」
曰：「今天下溺矣，夫子之不援，何也？」
曰：「天下溺，援之以道；嫂溺，援之以手。子欲手援天下乎？」

7.18 公孫丑曰：「君子之不教子，何也？」
孟子曰：「勢不行也。教者必以正；以正不行，繼之以怒；繼之以怒，則反夷矣。『夫子教我以正；夫子未出於正也。』則是父子相夷也。父子相夷則惡矣。古者易子而教之，父子之間不責善，責善則離，離則不祥莫大焉。」

7.19 孟子曰：「事孰爲大？事親爲大。守孰爲大？守身爲大。不失其身而能事其親者，吾聞之矣；失其身而能事其親者，吾未之聞也。孰不爲事？事親，事之本也。孰不爲守？守身，守之本也。曾子養曾晳，必有酒肉；將徹，必請所與；問有餘，必曰『有』。曾晳死，曾元養曾子，必有酒肉；將徹，不請所與；問有餘，曰『亡矣』，將以復進也，此所謂養口體者也。若曾子，則可謂養志也。事親若曾子者，可也。」

7.20 孟子曰：「人不足與適也，政不足與間也，惟大人爲能格君心之非。君仁莫不仁，君義莫不義，君正莫不正，一正君而國定矣。」

7.21 孟子曰：「有不虞之譽，有求全之毀。」

7.22 孟子曰：「人之易其言也，無責耳矣。」

7.23 孟子曰：「人之患在好爲人師。」

7.24 樂正子從於子敖之齊。
樂正子見孟子，孟子曰：「子亦來見我乎？」
曰：「先生何爲出此言也？」
曰：「子來幾日矣？」
曰：「昔者。」
曰：「昔者，則我出此言也，不亦宜乎？」
曰：「舍館未定。」
曰：「子聞之也；『舍館定，然後求見長者』乎？」
曰：「克有罪。」

7.25 孟子謂樂正子曰：「子之從於子敖來，徒餔啜也。我不意子學古之道而以餔啜也。」

7.26 孟子曰：「不孝有三，無後爲大。舜不告而娶，爲無後也，君子以爲猶告也。」

7.27 孟子曰：「仁之實，事親是也。義之實，從兄是也。智之實，知斯二者弗去是也。禮之實，節文斯二者是也。樂之實，樂斯二者，樂則生矣。生則惡可已也？惡可已，則不知足之蹈之、手之舞之。」

7.28 孟子曰：「天下大悅而將歸己，視天下悅而歸己，猶草芥也，惟舜爲然。不得乎親，不可以爲人；不順乎親，不可以爲子。舜盡事親之道，而瞽瞍厎豫。瞽瞍厎豫而天下化；瞽瞍厎豫而天下之爲父子者定。此之謂大孝。」

### Book 4B · Li Lou, Part Two

8.1 孟子曰：「舜生於諸馮，遷於負夏，卒於鳴條，東夷之人也。文王生於岐周，卒於畢郢，西夷之人也。地之相去也，千有餘里；世之相後也，千有餘歲。得志行乎中國，若合符節。先聖後聖，其揆一也。」

8.2 子產聽鄭國之政，以其乘輿濟人於溱、洧。孟子曰：「惠而不知為政，歲十一月徒杠成，十二月輿梁成，民未病涉也。君子平其政，行辟人可也；焉得人人而濟之？故為政者，每人而悅之，日亦不足矣。」

8.3 孟子告齊宣王曰：「君之視臣如手足，則臣視君如腹心；君之視臣如犬馬，則臣視君如國人；君之視臣如土芥，則臣視君如寇讎。」
王曰：「禮，為舊君有服。何如斯可為服矣？」
曰：「諫行言聽，膏澤下於民；有故而去，則君使人導之出疆，又先於其所往；去三年不反，然後收其田里。此之謂三有禮焉。如此則為之服矣。今也為臣，諫則不行，言則不聽，膏澤不下於民；有故而去，則君搏執之，又極之於其所往；去之日，遂收其田里。此之謂寇讎。寇讎何服之有？」

8.4 孟子曰：「無罪而殺士，則大夫可以去；無罪而戮民，則士可以徙。」

8.5 孟子曰：「君仁莫不仁，君義莫不義。」

8.6 孟子曰：「非禮之禮，非義之義，大人弗為。」

8.7 孟子曰：「中也養不中，才也養不才，故人樂有賢父兄也。如中也棄不中，才也棄不才，則賢不肖之相去，其間不能以寸。」

8.8 孟子曰：「人有不為也，而後可以有為。」

8.9 孟子曰：「言人之不善，當如後患何？」

8.10 孟子曰：「仲尼不為已甚者。」

8.11 孟子曰：「大人者，言不必信，行不必果，惟義所在。」

8.12 孟子曰：「大人者，不失其赤子之心者也。」

8.13 孟子曰：「養生者，不足以當大事，惟送死可以當大事。」

8.14 孟子曰：「君子深造之以道，欲其自得之也。自得之則居之安，居之安則資之深，資之深則取之左右逢其原。故君子欲其自得之也。」

8.15 孟子曰：「博學而詳說之，將以反說約也。」

8.16 孟子曰：「以善服人者，未有能服人者也。以善養人，然後能服天下。天下不心服而王者，未之有也。」

8.17 孟子曰：「言無實，不詳。不詳之實，蔽賢者當之。」

8.18 徐子曰：「仲尼亟稱於水曰：『水哉！水哉！』何取於水也？」
孟子曰：「源泉混混，不舍晝夜，盈科而後進，放乎四海；有本者如是，是之取爾。茍為無本，七、八月之間雨集，溝澮皆盈；其涸也，可立而待也。故聲聞過情，君子恥之。」

8.19 孟子曰：「人之所以異於禽獸者幾希，庶民去之，君子存之。舜明於庶物，察於人倫；由仁義行，非行仁義也。」

8.20 孟子曰：「禹惡旨酒而好善言。湯執中，立賢無方。文王視民如傷，望道而未之見。武王不泄邇，不忘遠。周公思兼三王，以施四事。其有不合者，仰而思之，夜以繼日；幸而得之，坐以待旦。」

8.21 孟子曰：「王者之跡熄而《詩》亡，《詩》亡然後《春秋》作。晉之《乘》、楚之《梼杌》、魯之《春秋》，一也。其事則齊桓、晉文，其文則史。孔子曰：『其義則丘竊取之矣。』」

8.22 孟子曰：「君子之澤，五世而斬；小人之澤，五世而斬。予未得為孔子徒也，予私淑諸人也。」

8.23 孟子曰：「可以取，可以無取，取傷廉。可以與，可以無與，與傷惠。可以死，可以無死，死傷勇。」

8.24 逢蒙學射於羿，盡羿之道，思天下惟羿為愈己，於是殺羿。孟子曰：「是亦羿有罪焉。」
公明儀曰：「宜若無罪焉？」
曰：「薄乎云爾，惡得無罪？鄭人使子濯孺子侵衛，衛使庾公之斯追之。子濯孺子曰：『今日我疾作，不可以執弓，吾死矣夫！』問其僕曰：『追我者誰也？』其僕曰：『庾公之斯也。』曰：『吾生矣。』其僕曰：『庾公之斯，衛之善射者也，夫子曰「吾生」，何謂也？』曰：『庾公之斯學射於尹公之他，尹公之他學射於我。夫尹公之他，端人也，其取友必端矣。』庾公之斯至，曰：『夫子何為不執弓？』曰：『今日我疾作，不可以執弓。』曰：『小人學射於尹公之他，尹公之他學射於夫子。我不忍以夫子之道，反害夫子。雖然，今日之事，君事也，我不敢廢。』抽矢叩輪，去其金、發乘矢而後反。」

8.25 孟子曰：「西子蒙不潔，則人皆掩鼻而過之。雖有惡人，齋戒沐浴，則可以祀上帝。」

8.26 孟子曰：「天下之言性也，則故而已矣。故者，以利為本。所惡於智者，為其鑿也。如智者，若禹之行水也，則無惡於智矣。禹之行水也，行其所無事也。如智者亦行其所無事，則智亦大矣。天之高也，星辰之遠也，茍求其故，千歲之日至，可坐而致也。」

8.27 公行子有子之喪，右師往弔。入門，有進而與右師言者，有就右師之位而與右師言者。孟子不與右師言，右師不悅曰：「諸君子皆與驩言，孟子獨不與驩言，是簡驩也。」孟子聞之，曰：「禮：朝庭不歷位而相與言，不逾階而相揖也。我欲行禮，子敖以我為簡，不亦異乎？」

8.28 孟子曰：「君子所以異於人者，以其存心也。君子以仁存心，以禮存心。仁者愛人，有禮者敬人。愛人者，人恒愛之；敬人者，人恒敬之。有人於此，其待我以橫逆，則君子必自反也：『我必不仁也，必無禮也，此物奚宜至哉？』其自反而仁矣，自反而有禮矣。其橫逆由是也，君子必自反也：『我必不忠。』自反而忠矣。其橫逆由是也，君子曰：『此亦妄人也已矣。如此則與禽獸奚擇哉？於禽獸又何難焉！』是故君子有終身之憂，無一朝之患也。乃若所憂則有之。舜人也，我亦人也；舜為法於天下，可傳於後世，我由未免為鄉人也，是則可憂也。憂之如何？如舜而已矣。若夫君子所患則亡矣。非仁無為也，非禮無行也。如有一朝之患，則君子不患矣。」

8.29 禹、稷當平世，三過其門而不入，孔子賢之。顏子當亂世，居於陋巷，一簞食，一瓢飲，人不堪其憂，顏子不改其樂，孔子賢之。孟子曰：「禹、稷、顏回同道。禹思天下有溺者，由己溺之也；稷思天下有饑者，由己饑之也。是以如是其急也。禹、稷、顏子易地則皆然。今有同室之人鬭者，救之，雖被髪纓冠而救之，可也。鄉鄰有鬭者，被髪纓冠而往救之，則惑也，雖閉戶可也。」

8.30 公都子曰：「匡章，通國皆稱不孝焉。夫子與之游，又從而禮貌之，敢問何也？」
孟子曰：「世俗所謂不孝者五：惰其四支，不顧父母之養，一不孝也；博弈、好飲酒，不顧父母之養，二不孝也；好貨財、私妻子，不顧父母之養，三不孝也；從耳目之欲，以為父母戮，四不孝也；好勇鬭狠，以危父母，五不孝也。章子有一於是乎？夫章子，子父責善而不相遇也。責善，朋友之道也。父子責善，賊恩之大者。夫章子豈不欲有夫妻子母之屬哉？為得罪於父，不得近；出妻屏子，終身不養焉。其設心以為不若是，是則罪之大者。是則章子已矣。」

8.31 曾子居武城，有越寇。或曰：「寇至，盍去諸？」曰：「無寓人於我室，毀傷其薪木。」寇退，則曰：「修我墻屋，我將反。」寇退，曾子反。左右曰：「待先生如此其忠且敬也，寇至則先去以為民望，寇退則反，殆於不可。」沈猶行曰：「是非汝所知也。昔沈猶有負芻之禍，從先生者七十人，未有與焉。」
子思居於衛，有齊寇。或曰：「寇至，盍去諸？」子思曰：「如汲去，君誰與守？」
孟子曰：「曾子、子思同道。曾子師也，父兄也；子思臣也，微也。曾子、子思易地則皆然。」

8.32 儲子曰：「王使人瞷夫子，果有以異於人乎？」
孟子曰：「何以異於人哉？堯、舜與人同耳。」

8.33 齊人有一妻一妾而處室者，其良人出，則必饜酒肉而後反。其妻問其所與飲食者，則盡富貴也。其妻告其妾曰：「良人出，則必饜酒肉而後反；問其與飲食者，盡富貴也。而未嘗有顯者來。吾將瞷良人之所之也。」早起，施從良人之所之。遍國中，無與立談者。卒之東郭墦間，之祭者，乞其餘；不足，又顧而之他──此其為饜足之道也。其妻歸，告其妾曰：「良人者，所仰望而終身也。今若此！」與其妾訕其良人，而相泣於中庭。而良人未之知也，施施從外來，驕其妻妾。由君子觀之，則人之所以求富貴利達者，其妻妾不羞也而不相泣者，幾希矣！

### Book 5A · Wan Zhang, Part One

9.1 萬章問曰：「舜往于田，號泣于旻天。何為其號泣也？」
孟子曰：「怨慕也。」
萬章曰：「父母愛之，喜而不忘；父母惡之，勞而不怨。然則舜怨乎？」
曰：「長息問於公明高曰：『舜往于田，則吾既得聞命矣；號泣于旻天、于父母，則吾不知也。』公明高曰：『是非爾所知也。』夫公明高以孝子之心為不若是恝。『我竭力耕田，共為子職而已矣；父母之不我愛，於我何哉？』帝使其子九男二女，百官牛羊倉廩備，以事舜於畎畝之中。天下之士多就之者，帝將胥天下而遷之焉。為不順於父母，如窮人無所歸。天下之士悅之，人之所欲也，而不足以解憂。好色，人之所欲；妻帝之二女，而不足以解憂。富，人之所欲；富有天下，而不足以解憂。貴，人之所欲；貴為天子，而不足以解憂。人悅之、好色、富貴無足以解憂者，惟順於父母，可以解憂。人少則慕父母，知好色則慕少艾，有妻子則慕妻子，仕則慕君，不得於君則熱中。大孝終身慕父母，五十而慕者，予於大舜見之矣。」

9.2 萬章問曰：「《詩》云：『娶妻如之何？必告父母。』信斯言也，宜莫如舜。舜之不告而娶，何也？」
孟子曰：「告則不得娶。男女居室，人之大倫也。如告則廢人之大倫以懟父母，是以不告也。」
萬章曰：「舜之不告而娶，則吾既得聞命矣。帝之妻舜而不告，何也？」
曰：「帝亦知告焉則不得妻也。」
萬章曰：「父母使舜完廩，捐階，瞽瞍焚廩。使浚井，出，從而掩之。象曰：『謨蓋都君咸我績。牛羊父母，倉廩父母，干戈朕，琴朕，弤朕，二嫂使治朕棲。』象往入舜宮，舜在床琴。象曰：『郁陶思君爾。』忸怩。舜曰：『唯茲臣庶，汝其于予治。』不識舜不知象之將殺己與？」
曰：「奚而不知也？象憂亦憂，象喜亦喜。」
曰：「然則舜偽喜者與？」
曰：「否。昔者有饋生魚於鄭子產，子產使校人畜之池。校人烹之，反命曰：『始舍之圉圉焉，少則洋洋焉，攸然而逝。』子產曰：『得其所哉！得其所哉！』校人出，曰：『孰謂子產智？予既烹而食之，曰：「得其所哉！得其所哉！」』故君子可欺以其方，難罔以非其道。彼以愛兄之道來，故誠信而喜之。奚偽焉？」

9.3 萬章問曰：「象日以殺舜為事，立為天子，則放之，何也？」
孟子曰：「封之也。或曰放焉。」
萬章曰：「舜流共工于幽州，放驩兜于崇山，殺三苗于三危，殛鯀于羽山，四罪而天下咸服。誅不仁也。象至不仁，封之有庳。有庳之人奚罪焉？仁人固如是乎？在他人則誅之，在弟則封之。」
曰：「仁人之於弟也，不藏怒焉，不宿怨焉，親愛之而已矣。親之，欲其貴也；愛之，欲其富也。封之有庳，富貴之也。身為天子，弟為匹夫，可謂親愛之乎？」
「敢問『或曰放』者何謂也？」
曰：「象不得有為於其國，天子使吏治其國，而納其貢稅焉，故謂之放。豈得暴彼民哉？雖然，欲常常而見之，故源源而來。『不及貢，以政接于有庳』，此之謂也。」

9.4 咸丘蒙問曰：「語云：『盛德之士，君不得而臣，父不得而子。』舜南面而立，堯帥諸侯北面而朝之，瞽瞍亦北面而朝之。舜見瞽瞍，其容有蹙。孔子曰：『於斯時也，天下殆哉，岌岌乎！』不識此語，誠然乎哉？」
孟子曰：「否，此非君子之言，齊東野人之語也。堯老而舜攝也，《堯典》曰：『二十有八載，放勛乃徂落，百姓如喪考妣。三年，四海遏密八音。』孔子曰：『天無二日，民無二王。』舜既為天子矣，又帥天下諸侯以為堯三年喪，是二天子矣。」
咸丘蒙曰：「舜之不臣堯，則吾既得聞命矣。《詩》云：『普天之下，莫非王土；率土之濱，莫非王臣。』而舜既為天子矣，敢問瞽瞍之非臣，如何？」
曰：「是詩也，非是之謂也，勞於王事而不得養父母也。曰：『此莫非王事，我獨賢勞也。』故說詩者，不以文害辭，不以辭害志；以意逆志，是為得之。如以辭而已矣。《雲漢》之詩曰：『周餘黎民，靡有孑遺。』信斯言也，是周無遺民也。孝子之至，莫大乎尊親；尊親之至，莫大乎以天下養。為天子父，尊之至也；以天下養，養之至也。《詩》曰：『永言孝思，孝思惟則』，此之謂也。《書》曰：『祗載見瞽瞍，夔夔齋栗，瞽瞍亦允若』，是為父不得而子也？」

9.5 萬章曰：「堯以天下與舜，有諸？」
孟子曰：「否，天子不能以天下與人。」
「然則舜有天下也，孰與之？」
曰：「天與之。」
「天與之者，諄諄然命之乎？」
曰：「否，天不言，以行與事示之而已矣。」
曰：「以行與事示之者，如之何？」
曰：「天子能薦人於天，不能使天與之天下；諸侯能薦人於天子，不能使天子與之諸侯；大夫能薦人於諸侯，不能使諸侯與之大夫。昔者堯薦舜於天而天受之，暴之於民而民受之。故曰：天不言，以行與事示之而已矣。」
曰：「敢問薦之於天而天受之，暴之於民而民受之，如何？」
曰：「使之主祭而百神享之，是天受之。使之主事而事治，百姓安之，是民受之也。天與之，人與之，故曰：天子不能以天下與人。舜相堯，二十有八載，非人之所能為也，天也。堯崩，三年之喪畢，舜避堯之子於南河之南。天下諸侯朝覲者，不之堯之子而之舜；訟獄者，不之堯之子而之舜；謳歌者，不謳歌堯之子而謳歌舜；故曰『天』也。夫然後之中國，踐天子位焉。而居堯之宮，逼堯之子，是『篡』也，非『天與』也。《泰誓》曰：『天視自我民視，天聽自我民聽』，此之謂也。」

9.6 萬章問曰：「人有言『至於禹而德衰，不傳於賢而傳於子』，有諸？」
孟子曰：「否然也。天與賢則與賢，天與子則與子。昔者舜薦禹於天，十有七年；舜崩，三年之喪畢，禹避舜之子於陽城；天下之民從之，若堯崩之後不從堯之子而從舜也。禹薦益於天，七年，禹崩，三年之喪畢，益避禹子於箕山之陰；朝覲訟獄者，不之益而之啟，曰：『吾君之子也。』謳歌者不謳歌益而謳歌啟，曰：『吾君之子也。』丹朱之不肖，舜之子亦不肖；舜之相堯、禹之相舜也，歷年多，施澤於民久。啟賢，能敬承繼禹之道；益之相禹也，歷年少，施澤於民未久。舜、禹、益相去久遠，其子之賢不肖皆天也，非人之所能為也。莫之為而為者，天也；莫之致而至者，命也。匹夫而有天下者，德必若舜禹，而又有天子薦之者；故仲尼不有天下。繼世而有天下，天之所廢，必若桀紂者也；故益、伊尹、周公不有天下。伊尹相湯以王於天下，湯崩，太丁未立，外丙二年，仲壬四年。太甲顛覆湯之典刑，伊尹放之於桐三年；太甲悔過，自怨自艾，於桐處仁遷義，三年以聽伊尹之訓己也，復歸于亳。周公之不有天下，猶益之於夏、伊尹之於殷也。孔子曰：『唐虞禪，夏後、殷、周繼，其義一也。』」

9.7 萬章問曰：「人有言『伊尹以割烹要湯』，有諸？」
孟子曰：「否，不然。伊尹耕於有莘之野，而樂堯舜之道焉。非其義也，非其道也，祿之以天下弗顧也，繫馬千駟弗視也。非其義也，非其道也，一介不以與人，一介不以取諸人。湯使人以幣聘之。囂囂然曰：『我何以湯之聘幣為哉？我豈若處畎畝之中，由是以樂堯舜之道哉？』湯三使往聘之。既而幡然改曰：『與我處畎畝之中，由是以樂堯舜之道，吾豈若使是君為堯舜之君哉？吾豈若使是民為堯舜之民哉？吾豈若於吾身親見之哉？天之生此民也，使先知覺後知，使先覺覺後覺也。予，天民之先覺者也。予將以斯道覺斯民也，非予覺之而誰也？』思天下之民匹夫匹婦有不被堯舜之澤者，若己推而內之溝中。其自任以天下之重如此，故就湯而說之以伐夏救民。吾未聞枉己而正人者也，況辱己以正天下者乎？聖人之行不同也，或遠或近，或去或不去，歸潔其身而已矣。吾聞其以堯舜之道要湯，未聞以割烹也。《伊訓》曰：『天誅造攻自牧宮，朕載自亳。』」

9.8 萬章問曰：「或謂『孔子於衛主癰疽，於齊主侍人瘠環』，有諸乎？」
孟子曰：「否，不然也，好事者為之也。於衛，主顏讎由。彌子之妻與子路之妻，兄弟也。彌子謂子路曰：『孔子主我，衛卿可得也。』子路以告，孔子曰：『有命。』孔子進以禮，退以義，得之不得曰：『有命』。而主癰疽與侍人瘠環，是無義無命也。孔子不悅於魯衛，遭宋桓司馬，將要而殺之，微服而過宋。是時孔子當厄，主司城貞子，為陳侯周臣。吾聞觀近臣，以其所為主；觀遠臣，以其所主。若孔子主癰疽與侍人瘠環，何以為孔子？」

9.9 萬章問曰：「或曰：『百里奚自鬻於秦養牲者，五羊之皮。食牛，以要秦繆公。』信乎？」
孟子曰：「否然，好事者為之也。百里奚，虞人也。晉人以垂棘之璧與屈產之乘，假道於虞以伐虢。宮之奇諫，百里奚不諫，知虞公之不可諫而去。之秦，年已七十矣，曾不知以食牛干秦繆公之為污也，可謂智乎？不可諫而不諫，可謂不智乎？知虞公之將亡而先去之，不可謂不智也。時舉於秦，知繆公之可與有行也而相之，可謂不智乎？相秦而顯其君於天下，可傳於後世，不賢而能之乎？自鬻以成其君，鄉黨自好者不為，而謂賢者為之乎？」

### Book 5B · Wan Zhang, Part Two

10.1 孟子曰：「伯夷目不視惡色，耳不聽惡聲。非其君不事，非其民不使。治則進，亂則退。橫政之所出，橫民之所止，不忍居也。思與鄉人處，如以朝衣朝冠坐於涂炭也。當紂之時，居北海之濱，以待天下之清也。故聞伯夷之風者，頑夫廉，懦夫有立志。」
「伊尹曰：『何事非君？何使非民？』治亦進，亂亦進。曰：『天之生斯民也，使先知覺後知，使先覺覺後覺。予，天民之先覺者也；予將以此道覺此民也。』思天下之民匹夫匹婦有不與被堯舜之澤者，如己推而內之溝中。其自任以天下之重也。」
「柳下惠，不羞污君，不辭小官；進不隱賢，必以其道；遺佚而不怨，厄窮而不憫。與鄉人處，由由然不忍去也。『爾為爾，我為我，雖袒裼裸裎於我側，爾焉能浼我哉？』故聞柳下惠之風者，鄙夫寬，薄夫敦。」
「孔子之去齊，接淅而行；去魯，曰：『遲遲吾行也。』去父母國之道也。可以速而速，可以久而久，可以處而處，可以仕而仕，孔子也。」
孟子曰：「伯夷，聖之清者也；伊尹，聖之任者也；柳下惠，聖之和者也；孔子，聖之時者也。孔子之謂集大成。集大成也者，金聲而玉振之也。金聲也者，始條理也；玉振之也者，終條理也。始條理者，智之事也；終條理者，聖之事也。智，譬則巧也；聖，譬則力也。由射於百步之外也；其至，爾力也；其中，非爾力也。」

10.2 北宫𨪆問曰：「周室班爵祿也，如之何？」
孟子曰：「其詳不可得聞也，諸侯惡其害己也，而皆去其籍。然而軻也嘗聞其略也。天子一位，公一位，侯一位，伯一位，子、男同一位，凡五等也。君一位，卿一位，大夫一位，上士一位，中士一位，下士一位，凡六等。天子之制，地方千里，公侯皆方百里，伯七十里，子、男五十里，凡四等。不能五十里，不達於天子，附於諸侯，曰附庸。天子之卿受地視侯，大夫受地視伯，元士受地視子、男。大國地方百里，君十卿祿，卿祿四大夫，大夫倍上士，上士倍中士，中士倍下士，下士與庶人在官者同祿，祿足以代其耕也。次國地方七十里，君十卿祿，卿祿三大夫，大夫倍上士，上士倍中士，中士倍下士，下士與庶人在官者同祿，祿足以代其耕也。小國地方五十里，君十卿祿，卿祿二大夫，大夫倍上士，上士倍中士，中士倍下士，下士與庶人在官者同祿，祿足以代其耕也。耕者之所獲，一夫百畝；百畝之糞，上農夫食九人，上次食八人，中食七人，中次食六人，下食五人。庶人在官者，其祿以是為差。

10.3 萬章問曰：「敢問友。」
孟子曰：「不挾長，不挾貴，不挾兄弟而友。友也者，友其德也，不可以有挾也。孟獻子，百乘之家也，有友五人焉：樂正裘、牧仲，其三人則予忘之矣。獻子之與此五人者友也，無獻子之家者也。此五人者亦有獻子之家，則不與之友矣。非惟百乘之家為然也，雖小國之君亦有之。費惠公曰：『吾於子思則師之矣，吾於顏般則友之矣，王順、長息，則事我者也。』非惟小國之君為然也，雖大國之君亦有之。晉平公之於亥唐也，入云則入，坐云則坐，食云則食。雖疏食菜羹，未嘗不飽，蓋不敢不飽也。然終於此而已矣，弗與共天位也，弗與治天職也，弗與食天祿也。士之尊賢者也，非王公之尊賢也。舜尚見帝，帝館甥于貳室，亦饗舜，迭為賓主，是天子而友匹夫也。用下敬上，謂之貴貴；用上敬下，謂之尊賢。貴貴、尊賢，其義一也。」

10.4 萬章曰：「敢問交際何心也？」
孟子曰：「恭也。」
曰：「卻之卻之為不恭，何哉？」
曰：「尊者賜之，曰：『其所取之者，義乎不義乎？』而後受之，以是為不恭，故弗卻也。」
曰：「請無以辭卻之，以心卻之，曰：『其取諸民之不義也。』而以他辭無受，不可乎？」
曰：「其交也以道，其接也以禮，斯孔子受之矣。」
萬章曰：「今有御人於國門之外者，其交也以道，其饋也以禮，斯可受御與？」
曰：「不可。《康誥》曰：『殺越人于貨，閔不畏死，凡民罔不譈』是不待教而誅者也。殷受夏，周受殷，所不辭也，於今為烈，如之何其受之？」
曰：「今之諸侯取之於民也，猶御也。『茍善其禮際矣，斯君子受之』，敢問何說也？」
曰：「子以為有王者作，將比今之諸侯而誅之乎？其教之不改而後誅之乎？夫謂非其有而取之者盜也，充類至義之盡也。孔子之仕於魯也，魯人獵較，孔子亦獵較。獵較猶可，而況受其賜乎？」
曰：「然則孔子之仕也，非事道與？」
曰：「事道也。」
「事道奚獵較也？」
曰：「孔子先簿正祭器，不以四方之食供簿正。」
曰：「奚不去也？」
曰：「為之兆也，兆足以行矣，而不行，而後去；是以未嘗有所終三年淹也。孔子有見行可之仕，有際可之仕，有公養之仕。於季桓子，見行可之仕也；於衛靈公，際可之仕也；於衛孝公，公養之仕也。」

10.5 孟子曰：「仕非為貧也，而有時乎為貧；娶妻非為養也，而有時乎為養。為貧者，辭尊居卑，辭富居貧。辭尊居卑，辭富居貧，惡乎宜乎？抱關擊柝。孔子嘗為委吏矣，曰：『會計當而已矣。』嘗為乘田矣，曰：『牛羊茁壯，長而已矣。』位卑而言高，罪也。立乎人之本朝而道不行，恥也。」

10.6 萬章曰：「士之不托諸侯，何也？」
孟子曰：「不敢也。諸侯失國而後托於諸侯，禮也。士之托於諸侯，非禮也。」
萬章曰：「君饋之粟，則受之乎？」
曰：「受之。」
「受之何義也？」
曰：「君之於氓也，固周之。」
曰：「周之則受，賜之則不受，何也？」
曰：「不敢也。」
曰：「敢問其不敢何也？」
曰：「抱關擊柝者，皆有常職以食於上。無常職而賜於上者，以為不恭也。」
曰：「君饋之，則受之，不識可常繼乎？」
曰：「繆公之於子思也，亟問，亟饋鼎肉。子思不悅，於卒也標使者出諸大門之外，北面稽首再拜而不受，曰：『今而後知君之犬馬畜汲！』蓋自是臺無饋也。悅賢不能舉，又不能養也，可謂悅賢乎？」
曰：「敢問國君欲養君子，如何斯可謂養矣？」
曰：「以君命將之，再拜稽首而受；其後廩人繼粟，庖人繼肉，不以君命將之。子思以為鼎肉使己僕僕爾亟拜也，非養君子之道也。堯之於舜也，使其子九男事之，二女女焉，百官牛羊倉廩備，以養舜於畎畝之中，後舉而加諸上位。故曰王公之尊賢者也。」

10.7 萬章曰：「敢問不見諸侯，何義也？」
孟子曰：「在國曰市井之臣，在野曰草莽之臣，皆謂庶人。庶人不傳質為臣，不敢見於諸侯，禮也。」
萬章曰：「庶人，召之役，則往役；君欲見之，召之，則不往見之，何也？」
曰：「往役，義也；往見，不義也。且君之欲見之也，何為也哉？」
曰：「為其多聞也，為其賢也。」
曰：「為其多聞也，則天子不召師，而況諸侯乎？為其賢也，則吾未聞欲見賢而召之也。繆公亟見於子思，曰：『古千乘之國以友士，何如？』子思不悅，曰：『古之人有言曰：「事之云乎」，豈曰友之云乎？』子思之不悅也，豈不曰：『以位，則子，君也，我，臣也，何敢與君友也？以德，則子事我者也，奚可以與我友？』千乘之君求與之友，而不可得也，而況可召與？齊景公田，招虞人以旌；不至，將殺之。『志士不忘在溝壑，勇士不忘喪其元。』孔子奚取焉？取非其招不往也。」
曰：「敢問招虞人何以？」
曰：「以皮冠。庶人以旃，士以旗，大夫以旌。以大夫之招招虞人，虞人死不敢往；以士之招招庶人，庶人豈敢往哉？況乎以不賢人之招招賢人乎？欲見賢人而不以其道，猶欲其入而閉之門也。夫義，路也；禮，門也。惟君子能由是路，出入是門也。《詩》云：『周道如底，其直如矢；君子所履，小人所視。』」
萬章曰：「孔子『君命召，不俟駕而行』。然則孔子非與？」
曰：「孔子當仕有官職，而以其官召之也。」

10.8 孟子謂萬章曰：「一鄉之善士，斯友一鄉之善士；一國之善士，斯友一國之善士；天下之善士，斯友天下之善士。以友天下之善士為未足，又尚論古之人。頌其詩，讀其書，不知其人，可乎？是以論其世也。是尚友也。」

10.9 齊宣王問卿。孟子曰：「王何卿之問也？」
王曰：「卿不同乎？」
曰：「不同，有貴戚之卿，有異姓之卿。」
王曰：「請問貴戚之卿。」
曰：「君有大過則諫，反覆之而不聽，則易位。」
王勃然變乎色。
曰：「王勿異也。王問臣，臣不敢不以正對。」
王色定，然後請問異姓之卿。
曰：「君有過則諫，反覆之而不聽，則去。」

### Book 6A · Gaozi, Part One

11.1 告子曰：「性，猶杞柳也；義，猶桮棬也。以人性為仁義，猶以杞柳為桮棬。」
孟子曰：「子能順杞柳之性，而以為桮棬乎？將戕賊杞柳，而後以為桮棬也？如將戕賊杞柳，而以為桮棬；則亦將戕賊人，以為仁義與？率天下之人而禍仁義者，必子之言夫。」

11.2 告子曰：「性，猶湍水也。決諸東方則東流，決諸西方則西流。人性之無分於善不善也，猶水之無分於東西也。」
孟子曰：「水信無分於東西，無分於上下乎？人性之善也，猶水之就下也。人無有不善，水無有不下。今夫水：搏而躍之，可使過顙；激而行之，可使在山。是豈水之性哉？其勢則然也。人之可使為不善，其性亦猶是也。」

11.3 告子曰：「生之謂性。」
孟子曰：「生之謂性也，猶白之謂白與？」
曰：「然。」
「白羽之白也，猶白雪之白；白雪之白，猶白玉之白歟？」
曰：「然。」
「然則犬之性猶牛之性，牛之性猶人之性歟？」

11.4 告子曰：「食、色，性也。仁，內也，非外也。義，外也，非內也。」
孟子曰：「何以謂仁內義外也？」
曰：「彼長而我長之，非有長於我也。猶彼白而我白之，從其白於外也。故謂之外也。」
曰：「異。於白馬之白也，無以異於白人之白也。不識長馬之長也，無以異於長人之長歟？且謂長者義乎？長之者義乎？」
曰：「吾弟則愛之，秦人之弟則不愛也，是以我為悅者也，故謂之內。長楚人之長，亦長吾之長，是以長為悅者也，故謂之外也。」
曰：「嗜秦人之炙，無以異於嗜吾炙。夫物則亦有然者也。然則嗜炙亦有外歟？」

11.5 孟季子問公都子曰：「何以謂義內也？」
曰：「行吾敬，故謂之內也。」
「鄉人長於伯兄一歲，則誰敬？」
曰：「敬兄。」
「酌則誰先？」
曰：「先酌鄉人。」
「所敬在此，所長在彼。果在外，非由內也。」
公都子不能答，以告孟子。
孟子曰：「『敬叔父乎？敬弟乎？』彼將曰：『敬叔父。』曰：『弟為尸，則誰敬？』彼將曰：『敬弟。』子曰：『惡在其敬叔父也？』彼將曰：『在位故也。』子亦曰：『在位故也。』庸敬在兄，斯須之敬在鄉人。」
季子聞之，曰：「敬叔父則敬，敬弟則敬。果在外，非由內也。」
公都子曰：「冬日則飲湯，夏日則飲水。然則飲食亦在外也？」

11.6 公都子曰：「告子曰：『性無善無不善也。』或曰：『性可以為善，可以為不善，是故文武興則民好善，幽厲興則民好暴。』或曰：『有性善，有性不善，是故以堯為君而有象，以瞽瞍為父而有舜，以紂為兄之子且以為君，而有微子啟、王子比干。』今曰『性善』，然則彼皆非歟？」
孟子曰：「乃若其情則可以為善矣，乃所謂善也。若夫為不善，非才之罪也。惻隱之心，人皆有之；羞惡之心，人皆有之；恭敬之心，人皆有之；是非之心，人皆有之。惻隱之心，仁也；羞惡之心，義也；恭敬之心，禮也；是非之心，智也。仁義禮智，非由外鑠我也，我固有之也，弗思耳矣。故曰：求則得之，舍則失之。或相倍蓰而無算者，不能盡其才者也。《詩》曰：『天生蒸民，有物有則。民之秉彝，好是懿德。』孔子曰：『為此詩者，其知道乎！故有物必有則，民之秉彝也，故好是懿德。』」

11.7 孟子曰：「富歲，子弟多賴；兇歲，子弟多暴。非天之降才爾殊也，其所以陷溺其心者然也。今夫麰麥，播種而耘之，其地同，樹之時又同，浡然而生，至於日至之時，皆熟矣。雖有不同，則地有肥磽，雨露之養，人事之不齊也。故凡同類者，舉相似也，何獨至於人而疑之？聖人與我同類者。故龍子曰：『不知足而為屨，我知其不為蕢也。』屨之相似，天下之足同也。口之於味，有同嗜也，易牙先得我口之所嗜者也。如使口之於味也，其性與人殊，若犬馬之與我不同類也，則天下何嗜皆從易牙之於味也？至於味，天下期於易牙，是天下之口相似也。惟耳亦然，至於聲，天下期於師曠，是天下之耳相似也。惟目亦然，至於子都，天下莫不知其姣也；不知子都之姣者，無目者也。故曰：口之於味也，有同嗜焉；耳之於聲也，有同聽焉；目之於色也，有同美焉。至於心，獨無所同然乎？心之所同然者，何也？謂：理也，義也。聖人先得我心之所同然耳。故理義之悅我心，猶芻豢之悅我口。」

11.8 孟子曰：「牛山之木嘗美矣。以其郊於大國也，斧斤伐之，可以為美乎？是其日夜之所息，雨露之所潤，非無萌蘗之生焉，牛羊又從而牧之，是以若彼濯濯也。人見其濯濯也，以為未嘗有材焉，此豈山之性也哉？雖存乎人者，豈無仁義之心哉？其所以放其良心者，亦猶斧斤之於木也。旦旦而伐之，可以為美乎？其日夜之所息，平旦之氣，其好惡與人相近也者幾希，則其旦晝之所為，有梏亡之矣。梏之反覆，則其夜氣不足以存。夜氣不足以存，則其違禽獸不遠矣。人見其禽獸也，而以為未嘗有才焉者，是豈人之情也哉？故茍得其養，無物不長；茍失其養，無物不消。孔子曰：『操則存，舍則亡。出入無時，莫知其鄉。』惟心之謂與？」

11.9 孟子曰：「無或乎王之不智也。雖有天下易生之物也，一日暴之，十日寒之，未有能生者也。吾見亦罕矣，吾退而寒之者至矣，吾如有萌焉何哉！今夫弈之為數，小數也；不專心致志，則不得也。弈秋，通國之善弈者也。使弈秋誨二人弈：其一人專心致志，惟弈秋之為聽；一人雖聽之，一心以為有鴻鵠將至，思援弓繳而射之。雖與之俱學，弗若之矣。為是其智弗若與？曰：非然也。」

11.10 孟子曰：「魚，我所欲也；熊掌，亦我所欲也。二者不可得兼，舍魚而取熊掌者也。生，亦我所欲也；義，亦我所欲也。二者不可得兼，舍生而取義者也。生亦我所欲，所欲有甚於生者，故不為茍得也。死亦我所惡，所惡有甚於死者，故患有所不辟也。如使人之所欲莫甚於生，則凡可以得生者何不用也？使人之所惡莫甚於死者，則凡可以辟患者何不為也？由是則生而有不用也，由是則可以辟患而有不為也。是故所欲有甚於生者，所惡有甚於死者。非獨賢者有是心也，人皆有之，賢者能勿喪耳。
「一簞食，一豆羹，得之則生，弗得則死。嘑爾而與之，行道之人弗受；蹴爾而與之，乞人不屑也。萬鍾則不辨禮義而受之，萬鍾於我何加焉？為宮室之美、妻妾之奉、所識窮乏者得我與？鄉為身死而不受，今為宮室之美為之；鄉為身死而不受，今為妻妾之奉為之；鄉為身死而不受，今為所識窮乏者得我而為之。是亦不可以已乎？此之謂失其本心。」

11.11 孟子曰：「仁，人心也。義，人路也。舍其路而弗由，放其心而不知求。哀哉！人有雞犬放，則知求之；有放心，而不知求。學問之道無他，求其放心而已矣。」

11.12 孟子曰：「今有無名之指，屈而不信，非疾痛害事也。如有能信之者，則不遠秦、楚之路，為指之不若人也。指不若人，則知惡之；心不若人，則不知惡。此之謂不知類也。」

11.13 孟子曰：「拱把之桐、梓，人茍欲生之，皆知所以養之者。至於身，而不知所以養之者，豈愛身不若桐、梓哉？弗思甚也。」

11.14 孟子曰：「人之於身也，兼所愛；兼所愛，則兼所養也。無尺寸之膚不愛焉，則無尺寸之膚不養也。所以考其善不善者，豈有他哉？於己取之而已矣。體有貴賤，有小大。無以小害大，無以賤害貴。養其小者為小人，養其大者為大人。今有場師，舍其梧槚，養其樲棘，則為賤場師焉。養其一指，而失其肩背而不知也，則為狼疾人也。飲食之人，則人賤之矣，為其養小以失大也。飲食之人，無有失也，則口腹豈適為尺寸之膚哉？」

11.15 公都子問曰：「鈞是人也，或為大人，或為小人，何也？」
孟子曰：「從其大體為大人，從其小體為小人。」
曰：「鈞是人也，或從其大體，或從其小體，何也？」
曰：「耳目之官不思，而蔽於物。物交物，則引之而已矣。心之官則思；思則得之，不思則不得也。此天之所與我者，先立乎其大者，則其小者不能奪也。此為大人而已矣。」

11.16 孟子曰：「有天爵者，有人爵者。仁、義、忠、信，樂善不倦，此天爵也。公卿大夫，此人爵也。古之人，修其天爵而人爵從之。今之人，修其天爵以要人爵。既得人爵而棄其天爵，則惑之甚者也，終亦必亡而已矣。」

11.17 孟子曰：「欲貴者，人之同心也。人人有貴於己者，弗思耳矣。人之所貴者，非良貴也。趙孟之所貴，趙孟能賤之。《詩》云：『既醉以酒，既飽以德。』言飽乎仁義也，所以不愿人之膏粱之味也。令聞廣譽施於身，所以不愿人之文繡也。」

11.18 孟子曰：「仁之勝不仁也，猶水之勝火。今之為仁者，猶以一杯水救一車薪之火也。不熄，則謂之水不勝火。此又與於不仁之甚者也，亦終必亡而已矣。」

11.19 孟子曰：「五穀者，種之美者也。茍為不熟，不如荑稗。夫仁，亦在乎熟之而已矣。」

11.20 孟子曰：「羿之教人射，必志於彀；學者亦必志於彀。大匠誨人，必以規矩；學者亦必以規矩。」

### Book 6B · Gaozi, Part Two

12.1 任人有問屋廬子曰：「禮與食孰重？」
曰：「禮重。」
「色與禮孰重？」
曰：「禮重。」
曰：「以禮食則饑而死，不以禮食則得食，必以禮乎？親迎則不得妻，不親迎則得妻，必親迎乎？」
屋廬子不能對。明日之鄒以告孟子。
孟子曰：「於答是也何有？不揣其本，而齊其末，方寸之木可使高於岑樓。金重於羽者，豈謂一鉤金與一輿羽之謂哉？取食之重者與禮之輕者而比之，奚翅食重？取色之重者與禮之輕者而比之，奚翅色重？往應之曰，『紾兄之臂而奪之食，則得食，不紾，則不得食，則將紾之乎？逾東家墻而摟其處子，則得妻，不摟，則不得妻，則將摟之乎？』」

12.2 曹交問曰：「人皆可以為堯舜，有諸？」
孟子曰：「然。」
「交聞文王十尺，湯九尺；今交九尺四寸以長。食粟而已，如何則可？」
曰：「奚有於是？亦為之而已矣。有人於此，力不能勝一匹雛，則為無力人矣。今曰舉百鈞，則為有力人矣。然則舉烏獲之任，是亦為烏獲而已矣。夫人豈以不勝為患哉？弗為耳。徐行後長者，謂之弟；疾行先長者，謂之不弟。夫徐行者，豈人所不能哉？所不為也。堯舜之道，孝弟而已矣。子服堯之服、誦堯之言、行堯之行，是堯而已矣。子服桀之服、誦桀之言、行桀之行，是桀而已矣。」
曰：「交得見於鄒君，可以假館，愿留而受業於門。」
曰：「夫道，若大路然，豈難知哉？人病不求耳。子歸而求之，有餘師。」

12.3 公孫丑問曰：「高子曰：『《小弁》，小人之詩也。』」
孟子曰：「何以言之？」
曰：「怨。」
曰：「固哉，高叟之為《詩》也！有人於此，越人關弓而射之，則己談笑而道之；無他，疏之也。其兄關弓而射之，則己垂涕泣而道之，無他，戚之也。《小弁》之怨，親親也。親親，仁也。固矣夫，高叟之為《詩》也！」
曰：「《凱風》何以不怨？」
曰：「《凱風》，親之過小者也；《小弁》，親之過大者也。親之過大而不怨，是愈疏也。親之過小而怨，是不可磯也。愈疏，不孝也；不可磯，亦不孝也。孔子曰：『舜其至孝矣，五十而慕。』」

12.4 宋牼將之楚，孟子遇於石丘，曰：「先生將何之？」
曰：「吾聞秦、楚構兵，我將見楚王，說而罷之；楚王不悅，我將見秦王，說而罷之。二王我將有所遇焉。」
曰：「軻也請無問其詳，愿聞其指。說之將何如？」
曰：「我將言其不利也。」
曰：「先生之志則大矣，先生之號則不可。先生以利說秦、楚之王，秦、楚之王悅於利，以罷三軍之師；是三軍之士樂罷而悅於利也。為人臣者，懷利以事其君，為人子者，懷利以事其父，為人弟者，懷利以事其兄，是君臣、父子、兄弟終去仁義，懷利以相接；然而不亡者，未之有也。先生以仁義說秦、楚之王，秦、楚之王悅於仁義，以罷三軍之師；是三軍之士樂罷而悅於仁義也。為人臣者，懷仁義以事其君，為人子者，懷仁義以事其父，為人弟者，懷仁義以事其兄，是君臣、父子、兄弟去利，懷仁義以相接也；然而不王者，未之有也。何必曰利？」

12.5 孟子居鄒，季任為任處守，以幣交，受之而不報。處於平陸，儲子為相，以幣交，受之而不報。他日由鄒之任，見季子，由平陸之齊，不見儲子。屋廬子喜曰：「連得間矣。」
問曰：「夫子之任見季子，之齊不見儲子，為其為相與？」
曰：「非也。《書》曰：『享多儀，儀不及物，曰不享。惟不役志于享。』為其不成享也。」屋廬子悅。或問之，屋廬子曰：「季子不得之鄒，儲子得之平陸。」

12.6 淳于髡曰：「先名實者，為人也；後名實者，自為也。夫子在三卿之中，名實未加於上下而去之，仁者固如此乎？」
孟子曰：「居下位，不以賢事不肖者，伯夷也。五就湯、五就桀者，伊尹也。不惡污君，不辭小官者，柳下惠也。三子者不同道，其趨一也。一者何也？曰仁也。君子亦仁而已矣，何必同？」
曰：「魯繆公之時，公儀子為政，子柳、子思為臣，魯之削也滋甚。若是乎賢者之無益於國也！」
曰：「虞不用百里奚而亡，秦繆公用之而霸。不用賢則亡，削何可得與？」
曰：「昔者，王豹處於淇，而河西善謳。綿駒處於高唐，而齊右善歌。華周、杞梁之妻，善哭其夫，而變國俗。有諸內，必形諸外。為其事而無其功者，髡未嘗睹之也。是故無賢者也；有則髡必識之。」
曰：「孔子為魯司寇，不用，從而祭，燔肉不至，不稅冕而行。不知者以為為肉也；其知者以為為無禮也。乃孔子則欲以微罪行，不欲為茍去。君子之所為，眾人固不識也。」

12.7 孟子曰：「五霸者，三王之罪人也。今之諸侯，五霸之罪人也。今之大夫，今之諸侯之罪人也。天子適諸侯曰巡狩；諸侯朝於天子曰述職。春省耕而補不足，秋省斂而助不給。入其疆，土地辟，田野治，養老、尊賢、俊杰在位，則有慶，慶以地。入其疆，土地荒蕪，遺老、失賢，掊克在位，則有讓。一不朝，則貶其爵；再不朝，則削其地；三不朝，則六師移之。是故天子討而不伐，諸侯伐而不討。五霸者，摟諸侯以伐諸侯者也，故曰：五霸者，三王之罪人也。五霸，桓公為盛。葵丘之會，諸侯束牲載書而不歃血。初命曰：『誅不孝，無易樹子，無以妾為妻。』再命曰：『尊賢、育才，以彰有德。』三命曰：『敬老、慈幼，無忘賓旅。』四命曰：『士無世官，官事無攝，取士必得，無專殺大夫。』五命曰：『無曲防，無遏糴，無有封而不告。』曰：『凡我同盟之人，既盟之後，言歸于好。』今之諸侯，皆犯此五禁，故曰：今之諸侯，五霸之罪人也。長君之惡，其罪小；逢君之惡，其罪大。今之大夫皆逢君之惡，故曰：今之大夫，今之諸侯之罪人也。」

12.8 魯欲使慎子為將軍。孟子曰：「不教民而用之，謂之殃民，殃民者，不容於堯舜之世。一戰勝齊，遂有南陽，然且不可。」
慎子勃然不悅曰：「此則滑厘所不識也。」
曰：「吾明告子，天子之地方千里；不千里，不足以待諸侯。諸侯之地方百里；不百里，不足以守宗廟之典籍。周公之封於魯，為方百里也；地非不足，而儉於百里。太公之封於齊也，亦為方百里也；地非不足也，而儉於百里。今魯方百里者五，子以為有王者作，則魯在所損乎？在所益乎？徒取諸彼以與此，然且仁者不為，況於殺人以求之乎？君子之事君也，務引其君以當道，志於仁而已。」

12.9 孟子曰：「今之事君者，皆曰：『我能為君辟土地，充府庫。』今之所謂良臣，古之所謂民賊也。君不鄉道、不志於仁，而求富之，是富桀也。『我能為君約與國，戰必克。』今之所謂良臣，古之所謂民賊也。君不鄉道、不志於仁，而求為之強戰，是輔桀也。由今之道，無變今之俗，雖與之天下，不能一朝居也。」

12.10 白圭曰：「吾欲二十而取一，何如？」
孟子曰：「子之道，貉道也。萬室之國，一人陶，則可乎？」
曰：「不可，器不足用也。」
曰：「夫貉，五穀不生，惟黍生之，無城郭、宮室、宗廟、祭祀之禮，無諸侯幣帛饔飧，無百官有司，故二十取一而足也。今居中國，去人倫，無君子，如之何其可也？陶以寡，且不可以為國，況無君子乎？欲輕之於堯舜之道者，大貉、小貉也；欲重之於堯舜之道者，大桀、小桀也。」

12.11 白圭曰：「丹之治水也愈於禹。」
孟子曰：「子過矣。禹之治水，水之道也。是故禹以四海為壑。今吾子以鄰國為壑。水逆行，謂之洚水；洚水者，洪水也，仁人之所惡也。吾子過矣。」

12.12 孟子曰：「君子不亮，惡乎執？」

12.13 魯欲使樂正子為政。孟子曰：「吾聞之，喜而不寐。」
公孫丑曰：「樂正子強乎？」
曰：「否。」「有知慮乎？」
曰：「否。」
「多聞識乎？」
曰：「否。」
「然則奚為喜而不寐。」
曰：「其為人也好善。」
「好善足乎？」
曰：「好善優於天下，而況魯國乎？夫茍好善，則四海之內，皆將輕千里而來告之以善。夫茍不好善，則人將曰：『訑訑，予既已知之矣。』訑訑之聲音顏色，距人於千里之外。士止於千里之外，則讒諂面諛之人至矣。與讒諂面諛之人居，國欲治，可得乎？」

12.14 陳子曰：「古之君子何如則仕？」
孟子曰：「所就三，所去三。迎之致敬以有禮，言將行其言也，則就之；禮貌未衰，言弗行也，則去之。其次，雖未行其言也，迎之致敬以有禮，則就之；禮貌衰，則去之。其下，朝不食，夕不食，饑餓不能出門戶；君聞之，曰：『吾大者不能行其道，又不能從其言也，使饑餓於我土地，吾恥之。』周之，亦可受也，免死而已矣。」

12.15 孟子曰：「舜發於畎畝之中，傅說舉於版筑之間，膠鬲舉於魚鹽之中，管夷吾舉於士，孫叔敖舉於海，百里奚舉於市。故天將降大任於是人也，必先苦其心志，勞其筋骨，餓其體膚，空乏其身，行拂亂其所為；所以動心忍性，曾益其所不能。人恒過，然後能改。困於心，衡於慮，而後作。徵於色，發於聲，而後喻。入則無法家拂士、出則無敵國外患者，國恒亡。然後知生於憂患，而死於安樂也。」

12.16 孟子曰：「教亦多術矣。予不屑之教誨也者，是亦教誨之而已矣。」

### Book 7A · Fulfilling the Heart, Part One

13.1 孟子曰：「盡其心者，知其性也。知其性，則知天矣。存其心，養其性，所以事天也。夭壽不貳，修身以俟之，所以立命也。」

13.2 孟子曰：「莫非命也，順受其正。是故知命者，不立乎巖墻之下。盡其道而死者，正命也。桎梏死者，非正命也。」

13.3 孟子曰：「『求則得之，舍則失之』，是求有益於得也，求在我者也。『求之有道，得之有命』，是求無益於得也，求在外者也。」

13.4 孟子曰：「萬物皆備於我矣，反身而誠，樂莫大焉。強恕而行，求仁莫近焉。」

13.5 孟子曰：「行之而不著焉，習矣而不察焉，終身由之而不知其道者，眾也。」

13.6 孟子曰：「人不可以無恥。無恥之恥，無恥矣。」

13.7 孟子曰：「恥之於人大矣。為機變之巧者，無所用恥焉。不恥不若人，何若人有？」

13.8 孟子曰：「古之賢王，好善而忘勢。古之賢士，何獨不然？樂其道而忘人之勢。故王公不致敬盡禮，則不得亟見之。見且由不得亟，而況得而臣之乎？」

13.9 孟子謂宋句踐曰：「子好游乎？吾語子游：人知之亦囂囂，人不知亦囂囂。」
曰：「何如斯可以囂囂矣？」
曰：「尊德樂義，則可以囂囂矣。故士窮不失義，達不離道。窮不失義，故士得己焉。達不離道，故民不失望焉。古之人，得志，澤加於民；不得志，修身見於世。窮則獨善其身；達則兼善天下。」

13.10 孟子曰：「待文王而後興者，凡民也。若夫豪杰之士，雖無文王猶興。」

13.11 孟子曰：「附之以韓、魏之家，如其自視欿然，則過人遠矣。」

13.12 孟子曰：「以佚道使民，雖勞不怨。以生道殺民，雖死不怨殺者。」

13.13 孟子曰：「霸者之民，驩虞如也；王者之民，皞皞如也。殺之而不怨，利之而不庸，民日遷善而不知為之者。夫君子所過者化，所存者神，上下與天地同流，豈曰小補之哉？」

13.14 孟子曰：「仁言，不如仁聲之入人深也。善政，不如善教之得民也。善政民畏之；善教民愛之。善政得民財；善教得民心。」

13.15 孟子曰：「人之所不學而能者，其良能也。所不慮而知者，其良知也。孩提之童，無不知愛其親者，及其長也，無不知敬其兄也。親親，仁也。敬長，義也。無他，達之天下也。」

13.16 孟子曰：「舜之居深山之中，與木石居，與鹿豕游，其所以異於深山之野人者幾希。及其聞一善言，見一善行，若決江河，沛然莫之能御也。」

13.17 孟子曰：「無為其所不為，無欲其所不欲，如此而已矣。」

13.18 孟子曰：「人之有德慧術知者，恒存乎疢疾。獨孤臣孽子，其操心也危，其慮患也深，故達。」

13.19 孟子曰：「有事君人者，事是君，則為容悅者也。有安社稷臣者，以安社稷為悅者也。有天民者，達可行於天下而後行之者也。有大人者，正己而物正者也。」

13.20 孟子曰：「君子有三樂，而王天下不與存焉。父母俱存，兄弟無故，一樂也。仰不愧於天，俯不怍於人，二樂也。得天下英才而教育之，三樂也。君子有三樂，而王天下不與存焉。」

13.21 孟子曰：「廣土眾民，君子欲之，所樂不存焉。中天下而立，定四海之民，君子樂之，所性不存焉。君子所性，雖大行不加焉，雖窮居不損焉，分定故也。君子所性，仁義禮智根於心。其生色也，睟然見於面、盎於背。施於四體，四體不言而喻。」

13.22 孟子曰：「伯夷辟紂，居北海之濱，聞文王作興，曰：『盍歸乎來！吾聞西伯善養老者。』太公辟紂，居東海之濱，聞文王作興，曰：『盍歸乎來！吾聞西伯善養老者。』天下有善養老，則仁人以為己歸矣。五畝之宅，樹墻下以桑，匹婦蠶之，則老者足以衣帛矣。五母雞，二母彘，無失其時，老者足以無失肉矣。百畝之田，匹夫耕之，八口之家，足以無饑矣。所謂西伯善養老者，制其田里，教之樹畜，導其妻子，使養其老。五十非帛不暖，七十非肉不飽。不暖不飽，謂之凍餒。文王之民，無凍餒之老者，此之謂也。」

13.23 孟子曰：「易其田疇，薄其稅斂，民可使富也。食之以時，用之以禮，財不可勝用也。民非水火不生活，昏暮叩人之門戶，求水火，無弗與者，至足矣。聖人治天下，使有菽粟如水火。菽粟如水火，而民焉有不仁者乎？」

13.24 孟子曰：「孔子登東山而小魯，登泰山而小天下。故觀於海者難為水；游於聖人之門者難為言。觀水有術，必觀其瀾。日月有明，容光必照焉。流水之為物也，不盈科不行；君子之志於道也，不成章不達。」

13.25 孟子曰：「雞鳴而起，孳孳為善者，舜之徒也。雞鳴而起，孳孳為利者，跖之徒也。欲知舜與跖之分，無他，利與善之間也。」

13.26 孟子曰：「楊子取『為我』，拔一毛而利天下，不為也。墨子『兼愛』，摩頂於踵利天下，為之。子莫『執中』，執中為近之。執中無權，猶執一也。所惡執一者，為其賊道也，舉一而廢百也。」

13.27 孟子曰：「饑者甘食，渴者甘飲，是未得飲食之正也，饑渴害之也。豈惟口腹有饑渴之害？人心亦皆有害。人能無以饑渴之害為心害，則不及人不為憂矣。」

13.28 孟子曰：「柳下惠不以三公易其介。」

13.29 孟子曰：「有為者，辟若掘井。掘井九軔而不及泉，猶為棄井也。」

13.30 孟子曰：「堯舜，性之也；湯武，身之也；五霸，假之也。久假而不歸，惡知其非有也？」

13.31 公孫丑曰：「伊尹曰：『予不狎于不順。』放太甲于桐，民大悅；太甲賢，又反之，民大悅。賢者之為人臣也，其君不賢，則固可放與？」
孟子曰：「有伊尹之志，則可；無伊尹之志，則篡也。」

13.32 公孫丑曰：「《詩》曰：『不素餐兮。』君子之不耕而食，何也？」
孟子曰：「君子居是國也，其君用之，則安富尊榮；其子弟從之，則孝弟忠信。『不素餐兮』，孰大於是？」

13.33 王子墊問曰：「士何事？」
孟子曰：「尚志。」
曰：「何謂尚志？」
曰：「仁義而已矣。殺一無罪，非仁也；非其有而取之，非義也。居惡在？仁是也。路惡在？義是也。居仁由義，大人之事備矣。」

13.34 孟子曰：「仲子，不義與之齊國而弗受，人皆信之，是舍簞食豆羹之義也。人莫大焉亡親戚、君臣、上下。以其小者，信其大者，奚可哉？」

13.35 桃應問曰：「舜為天子，皋陶為士，瞽瞍殺人，則如之何？」
孟子曰：「執之而已矣。」
「然則舜不禁與？」
曰：「夫舜惡得而禁之？夫有所受之也。」
「然則舜如之何？」
曰：「舜視棄天下，猶棄敝蹝也。竊負而逃，遵海濱而處，終身欣然，樂而忘天下。」

13.36 孟子自范之齊，望見齊王之子，喟然嘆曰：「居移氣，養移體，大哉居乎！夫非盡人之子與？」
孟子曰：「王子宮室、車馬、衣服多與人同，而王子若彼者，其居使之然也。況居天下之廣居者乎？魯君之宋，呼於垤澤之門。守者曰：『此非吾君也，何其聲之似我君也？』此無他，居相似也。」

13.37 孟子曰：「食而弗愛，豕交之也。愛而不敬，獸畜之也。恭敬者，幣之未將者也。恭敬而無實，君子不可虛拘。」

13.38 孟子曰：「形色，天性也。惟聖人然後可以踐形。」

13.39 齊宣王欲短喪。公孫丑曰：「為期之喪，猶愈於已乎？」
孟子曰：「是猶或紾其兄之臂，子謂之『姑徐徐』云爾。亦教之孝弟而已矣。」
王子有其母死者，其傅為之請數月之喪。公孫丑曰：「若此者，何如也？」
曰：「是欲終之而不可得也，雖加一日愈於已。謂夫莫之禁而弗為者也。」

13.40 孟子曰：「君子之所以教者五：有如時雨化之者，有成德者，有達財者，有答問者，有私淑艾者。此五者，君子之所以教也。」

13.41 公孫丑曰：「道則高矣、美矣，宜若登天然，似不可及也。何不使彼為可幾及而日孳孳也？」
孟子曰：「大匠不為拙工改廢繩墨；羿不為拙射變其彀率。君子引而不發，躍如也。中道而立，能者從之。」

13.42 孟子曰：「天下有道，以道殉身；天下無道，以身殉道。未聞以道殉乎人者也。」

13.43 公都子曰：「滕更之在門也，若在所禮，而不答，何也？」
孟子曰：「挾貴而問，挾賢而問，挾長而問，挾有勛勞而問，挾故而問，皆所不答也。滕更有二焉。」

13.44 孟子曰：「於不可已而已者，無所不已。於所厚者薄，無所不薄也。其進銳者，其退速。」

13.45 孟子曰：「君子之於物也，愛之而弗仁；於民也，仁之而弗親。親親而仁民，仁民而愛物。」

13.46 孟子曰：「知者無不知也，當務之為急；仁者無不愛也，急親賢之為務。堯舜之知而不遍物，急先務也。堯舜之仁不遍愛人，急親賢也。不能三年之喪，而緦小功之察：放飯流歠，而問無齒決：是之謂不知務。」

### Book 7B · Fulfilling the Heart, Part Two

14.1 孟子曰：「不仁哉，梁惠王也！仁者，以其所愛及其所不愛；不仁者，以其所不愛及其所愛。」
公孫丑問曰：「何謂也？」
「梁惠王以土地之故，糜爛其民而戰之，大敗；將復之，恐不能勝，故驅其所愛子弟以殉之；是之謂以其所不愛及其所愛也。」

14.2 孟子曰：「《春秋》無義戰，彼善於此，則有之矣。征者，上伐下也，敵國不相征也。」

14.3 孟子曰：「盡信《書》，則不如無《書》。吾於《武成》，取二三策而已矣。仁人無敵於天下。以至仁伐至不仁，而何其血之流杵也？」

14.4 孟子曰：「有人曰：『我善為陳，我善為戰』，大罪也。國君好仁，天下無敵焉，南面而征北狄怨，東面而征西夷怨，曰：『奚為後我？』武王之伐殷也，革車三百兩，虎賁三千人。王曰：『無畏！寧爾也，非敵百姓也。』若崩厥角稽首。征之為言正也，各欲正己也，焉用戰？」

14.5 孟子曰：「梓匠輪輿，能與人規矩，不能使人巧。」

14.6 孟子曰：「舜之飯糗茹草也，若將終身焉。及其為天子也，被袗衣，鼓琴，二女果，若固有之。」

14.7 孟子曰：「吾今而後知殺人親之重也：殺人之父，人亦殺其父；殺人之兄，人亦殺其兄。然則非自殺之也，一間耳。」

14.8 孟子曰：「古之為關也，將以御暴；今之為關也，將以為暴。」

14.9 孟子曰：「身不行道，不行於妻子；使人不以道，不能行於妻子。」

14.10 孟子曰：「周于利者，兇年不能殺；周於德者，邪世不能亂。」

14.11 孟子曰：「好名之人能讓千乘之國。茍非其人，簞食、豆羹見於色。」

14.12 孟子曰：「不信仁賢，則國空虛；無禮義，則上下亂；無政事，則財用不足。」

14.13 孟子曰：「不仁而得國者，有之矣；不仁而得天下者，未之有也。」

14.14 孟子曰：「民為貴，社稷次之，君為輕。是故得乎丘民而為天子；得乎天子為諸侯；得乎諸侯為大夫。諸侯危社稷，則變置；犧牲既成，粢盛既潔，祭祀以時，然而旱乾水溢，則變置社稷。」

14.15 孟子曰：「聖人，百世之師也，伯夷、柳下惠是也。故聞伯夷之風者，頑夫廉，懦夫有立志。聞柳下惠之風者，薄夫敦，鄙夫寬。奮乎百世之上，百世之下聞者莫不興起也。非聖人而能若是乎？而況於親炙之者乎？」

14.16 孟子曰：「仁也者，人也；合而言之，道也。」

14.17 孟子曰：「孔子之去魯，曰：『遲遲吾行也』，去父母國之道也。去齊，接淅而行，去他國之道也。」

14.18 孟子曰：「君子之戹於陳、蔡之間，無上下之交也。」

14.19 貉稽曰：「稽大不理於口。」
孟子曰：「無傷也。士憎茲多口。《詩》云：『憂心悄悄，慍于群小』，孔子也。『肆不殄厥慍，亦不隕厥問』，文王也。」

14.20 孟子曰：「賢者以其昭昭，使人昭昭；今以其昏昏，使人昭昭。」

14.21 孟子謂高子曰：「山徑之蹊間，介然用之而成路；為間不用，則茅塞之矣。今茅塞子之心矣。」

14.22 高子曰：「禹之聲，尚文王之聲。」
孟子曰：「何以言之？」
曰：「以追蠡。」
曰：「是奚足哉？城門之軌，兩馬之力與？」

14.23 齊饑。陳臻曰：「國人皆以夫子將復為發棠，殆不可復。」
孟子曰：「是為馮婦也。晉人有馮婦者，善搏虎，卒為善士；則之野，有眾逐虎，虎負嵎，莫之敢攖；望見馮婦，趨而迎之；馮婦攘臂下車，眾皆悅之，其為士者笑之。」

14.24 孟子曰：「口之於味也，目之於色也，耳之於聲也，鼻之於臭也，四肢之於安佚也；性也，有命焉，君子不謂性也。仁之於父子也，義之於君臣也，禮之於賓主也，知之於賢者也，聖人之於天道也；命也，有性焉，君子不謂命也。」

14.25 浩生不害問曰：「樂正子，何人也？」
孟子曰：「善人也，信人也。」
「何謂善？何謂信？」
曰：「可欲之謂善。有諸己之謂信。充實之謂美。充實而有光輝之謂大。大而化之之謂聖。聖而不可知之之謂神。樂正子，二之中、四之下也。」

14.26 孟子曰：「逃墨必歸於楊，逃楊必歸於儒。歸，斯受之而已矣。今之與楊、墨辯者，如追放豚，既入其苙，又從而招之。」

14.27 孟子曰：「有布縷之征，粟米之征，力役之征。君子用其一，緩其二。用其二而民有殍；用其三而父子離。」

14.28 孟子曰：「諸侯之寶三：土地、人民、政事。寶珠玉者，殃必及身。」

14.29 盆成括仕於齊。
孟子曰：「死矣盆成括！」
盆成括見殺，門人問曰：「夫子何以知其將見殺？」
曰：「其為人也，小有才，未聞君子之大道也，則足以殺其軀而已矣。」

14.30 孟子之滕，館於上宮。有業屨於牖上，館人求之弗得。
或問之曰：「若是乎從者之廋也。」
曰：「子以是為竊屨來與？」
曰：「殆非也。夫子之設科也，往者不追，來者不拒。茍以是心至，斯受之而已矣。」

14.31 孟子曰：「人皆有所不忍，達之於其所忍，仁也；人皆有所不為，達之於其所為，義也。人能充『無欲害人』之心，而仁不可勝用也。人能充『無穿窬』之心，而義不可勝用也。人能充無受爾汝之實，無所往而不為義也。士未可以言而言，是以言餂之也；可以言而不言，是以不言餂之也。是皆穿逾之類也。」

14.32 孟子曰：「言近而指遠者，善言也；守約而施博者，善道也。君子之言也，不下帶而道存焉。君子之守，修其身而天下平。人病舍其田而芸人之田，所求於人者重，而所以自任者輕。」

14.33 孟子曰：「堯、舜，性者也；湯、武，反之也。動容周旋中禮者，盛德之至也。哭死而哀，非為生者也。經德不回，非以干祿也。言語必信，非以正行也。君子行法，以俟命而已矣。」

14.34 孟子曰：「說大人，則藐之，勿視其巍巍然。堂高數仞，榱題數尺，我得志弗為也。食前方丈，侍妾數百人，我得志弗為也。般樂飲酒，驅騁田獵，後車千乘，我得志弗為也。在彼者，皆我所不為也；在我者，皆古之制也，吾何畏彼哉？」

14.35 孟子曰：「養心莫善於寡欲。其為人也寡欲，雖有不存焉者，寡矣。其為人也多欲，雖有存焉者，寡矣。」

14.36 曾晳嗜羊棗，而曾子不忍食羊棗。公孫丑問曰：「膾炙與羊棗孰美？」
孟子曰：「膾炙哉！」
公孫丑曰：「然則曾子何為食膾炙而不食羊棗？」
曰：「膾炙所同也，羊棗所獨也。諱名不諱姓，姓所同也，名所獨也。」

14.37 萬章問曰：「孔子在陳，曰：『盍歸乎來！吾黨之士狂簡，進取不忘其初。』孔子在陳，何思魯之狂士？」
孟子曰：「孔子『不得中道而與之，必也狂狷乎！狂者進取；狷者有所不為也。』孔子豈不欲中道哉？不可必得，故思其次也。」
「敢問何如斯可謂狂矣？」
曰：「如琴張、曾晳、牧皮者，孔子之所謂狂矣。」
「何以謂之狂也？」
曰：「其志嘐嘐然，曰：『古之人，古之人』，夷考其行而不掩焉者也。狂者又不可得；欲得不屑不潔之士而與之，是獧也。是又其次也。孔子曰：『過我門而不入我室，我不憾焉者，其惟鄉原乎！鄉原，德之賊也。』」
曰：何如斯可謂之鄉原矣？」
「曰：『何以是嘐嘐也？言不顧行，行不顧言，則曰：古之人古之人。行何為踽踽涼涼？生斯世也，為斯世也，善斯可矣。』閹然媚於世也者，是鄉原也。」
萬章曰：「一鄉皆稱原人焉，無所往而不為原人；孔子以為德之賊，何哉？」
曰：「非之無舉也，剌之無剌也；同乎流俗，合乎污世；居之似忠信，行之似廉潔；眾皆悅之；自以為是，而不可與入堯舜之道，故曰『德之賊也』。孔子曰：『惡似而非者：惡莠，恐其亂苗也；惡佞，恐其亂義也；惡利口，恐其亂信也；惡鄭聲，恐其亂樂也；惡紫，恐其亂朱也；惡鄉原，恐其亂德也。』君子反經而已矣。經正，則庶民興；庶民興，斯無邪慝矣。」

14.38 孟子曰：「由堯、舜至於湯，五百有餘歲，若禹、皋陶，則見而知之；若湯，則聞而知之。由湯至於文王，五百有餘歲，若伊尹、萊朱則見而知之；若文王，則聞而知之。由文王至於孔子，五百有餘歲，若大公望、散宜生，則見而知之；若孔子，則聞而知之。由孔子而來至於今，百有餘歲，去聖人之世，若此其未遠也；近聖人之居，若此其甚也，然而無有乎爾，則亦無有乎爾！」

## Translation — Mouseia

> Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the classical Chinese, passage for passage, covering all seven books (fourteen parts) and 260 passages.

### Book 1A · King Hui of Liang, Part One

1.1 Mencius visited King Hui of Liang. The king said, “Venerable sir! You have come a thousand li without counting the distance. Surely you have something that will profit my state?”
Mencius replied, “Your Majesty, why speak of profit? There is only humaneness and rightness. If the king says, ‘How may I profit my state?’ his ministers say, ‘How may I profit my house?’ and men of service and commoners say, ‘How may I profit myself?’ When high and low contend with one another for profit, the state is imperiled. In a state of ten thousand chariots, the one who murders its ruler will come from a house of a thousand chariots; in a state of a thousand chariots, from a house of a hundred. To possess a thousand out of ten thousand, or a hundred out of a thousand, is hardly a small share. But if one puts rightness last and profit first, nothing short of seizing everything will satisfy him. No humane person has ever abandoned his parents; no righteous person has ever slighted his ruler. Your Majesty should speak of humaneness and rightness alone. Why speak of profit?”

1.2 Mencius visited King Hui of Liang. Standing beside a pond, the king looked around at the wild geese and deer and said, “Do the worthy also take pleasure in such things?”
Mencius replied, “Only the worthy can enjoy them; the unworthy, though they possess them, cannot. The Odes say:
‘They laid out the Spirit Tower,
Measured and planned its ground.
The people joined in building it;
Before a day had passed, it stood.
They were told not to hurry the work;
The people came as children to a father.
The king was in the Spirit Park,
Where does lay at rest;
The does were glossy-coated,
The white birds gleamed.
The king was by the Spirit Pond;
How full it was of leaping fish!’
King Wen built his tower and pond with the labor of his people, and the people delighted in them: they called his tower the Spirit Tower and his pond the Spirit Pond, and rejoiced that he had deer, fish, and turtles. The ancients shared their pleasures with the people, and so could truly enjoy them. The Oath of Tang says, ‘When will this sun perish? I will perish with you!’ The people wished to perish together with that ruler. Though he had terraces and ponds, birds and beasts, how could he enjoy them alone?”

1.3 King Hui of Liang said, “I devote all my heart to my state. When famine strikes west of the river, I move its people east of the river and send grain west; when famine strikes east of the river, I do likewise. Looking at the government of neighboring states, none takes such pains as I do. Yet their populations do not diminish, while mine does not increase. Why?”
Mencius replied, “Your Majesty delights in warfare; let me use warfare as an illustration. The drums thunder, the blades meet, and soldiers abandon their armor and flee, dragging their weapons. Some stop after a hundred paces, some after fifty. What if those who ran fifty paces laughed at those who ran a hundred?”
The king said, “They cannot. They simply did not run a hundred paces; they too ran away.”
Mencius said, “If Your Majesty understands this, do not expect your population to outnumber your neighbors’. Do not interfere with the farming seasons, and there will be more grain than can be eaten. Keep fine-meshed nets out of the ponds, and there will be more fish and turtles than can be eaten. Let axes enter the hills and forests only in season, and there will be more timber than can be used. With grain, fish, and turtles beyond their needs, and timber beyond their use, the people will nourish the living and bury the dead without regret. This is the beginning of the Kingly Way. Plant mulberry trees around a five-mu homestead, and those of fifty can wear silk. Raise chickens, piglets, dogs, and hogs without neglecting their breeding seasons, and those of seventy can eat meat. Do not take away the farming time from a hundred-mu field, and a family of several mouths need not go hungry. Attend carefully to the teaching in the schools; impress on the people their duty to parents and elder brothers, and gray-haired people will no longer carry loads along the roads. That the old should wear silk and eat meat, while ordinary people suffer neither hunger nor cold, and yet the ruler should fail to be king of the world—such a thing has never been. But dogs and hogs eat human food and no one restrains them; starving bodies lie by the roads and no one opens the granaries. When people die, one says, ‘It was not I; it was the harvest.’ How is this different from stabbing a man to death and saying, ‘It was not I; it was the blade’? Your Majesty, do not blame the harvest, and the people of the world will come to you.”

1.4 King Hui of Liang said, “I would gladly receive your teaching.”
Mencius replied, “Is there any difference between killing a man with a club and killing him with a blade?”
“No difference.”
“Is there any difference between killing him with a blade and killing him through government?”
“No difference.”
Mencius said, “There is rich meat in your kitchens and fat horses in your stables; the people look hungry, and starving bodies lie in the fields. This is leading beasts to devour human beings. People loathe it even when beasts eat one another. If a ruler who governs as the people's father and mother cannot avoid leading beasts to devour people, in what sense is he their father and mother? Confucius said, ‘May the first man who made burial effigies have no descendants!’ He said this because the figures resembled human beings and were put to such use. How, then, can anyone cause his people to starve to death?”

1.5 King Hui of Liang said, “No state under Heaven was stronger than Jin, as you know, sir. But in my time we were defeated by Qi in the east, where my eldest son died; in the west we lost seven hundred li of land to Qin; and in the south Chu humiliated us. I am ashamed of this, and for the sake of the dead I wish to wipe away the disgrace. What must I do?”
Mencius replied, “Even with a territory of a hundred li square, one can become king of the world. If Your Majesty extends humane government to the people, reduces punishments, lightens taxes, and lets them plow deep and weed thoroughly, the strong can use their spare days to cultivate devotion to parents and elder brothers, loyalty, and trustworthiness—serving their fathers and elder brothers at home and their elders and superiors abroad. They could then fashion clubs and beat the strong armor and sharp weapons of Qin and Chu. Those rulers steal the time their people need to cultivate their fields and support their parents. Parents freeze and starve; brothers, wives, and children are scattered. Those rulers plunge their people into misery. If Your Majesty goes to punish them, who will stand against you? Thus it is said, ‘The humane have no enemies.’ Do not doubt it, Your Majesty.”

1.6 Mencius visited King Xiang of Liang. On leaving, he told someone, “From a distance he did not look like a ruler; when I came close, I saw nothing that inspired respect. Abruptly he asked, ‘How can the world be settled?’ I answered, ‘By uniting it.’ ‘Who can unite it?’ he asked. I replied, ‘One who does not delight in killing people can unite it.’ ‘Who will support him?’ I replied, ‘Everyone under Heaven will support him. Does Your Majesty know the young shoots of grain? If there is drought in the seventh and eighth months, they wither. When clouds gather thickly and rain pours down, they spring up vigorously. Once that happens, who can hold them back? Now among the shepherds of the people throughout the world, there is not one who does not delight in killing. If there were one who did not delight in killing, the people of the whole world would crane their necks in expectation of him. If this truly happened, the people would turn to him like water rushing downhill. Who could hold back that flood?’”

1.7 King Xuan of Qi asked, “May I hear about the affairs of Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin?”
Mencius replied, “Among Confucius's followers no one spoke of the affairs of Huan and Wen, so nothing about them has come down to later generations; I have heard nothing of them. If I must speak, let it be about becoming a true king.”
“What kind of virtue enables one to become a king?”
“Protect the people and become king: no one can withstand you.”
“Can a man like me protect the people?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know I can?”
“I heard from Hu He that once, as Your Majesty sat in the hall, a man led an ox past below. Seeing it, you said, ‘Where is the ox going?’ He answered, ‘To consecrate a bell with its blood.’ Your Majesty said, ‘Release it! I cannot bear to see it trembling, like an innocent creature being led to its death.’ The man asked, ‘Then shall we dispense with the consecration of the bell?’ You answered, ‘How can we dispense with it? Substitute a sheep.’ Did this happen?”
“It did.”
“That heart is enough to make you king. The people all supposed Your Majesty was being stingy, but I knew you could not bear its suffering.”
The king said, “Yes, there really are people who think that. Though Qi is small, would I begrudge one ox? I could not bear to see it trembling, as an innocent creature going to its death. That is why I substituted a sheep.”
“Your Majesty need not be surprised that the people thought you stingy. Replacing the large with the small—how could they know your reason? If you pitied its innocent passage to death, what distinction could there be between ox and sheep?”
The king laughed. “What was truly in my heart? I did not replace it with a sheep to save its cost. No wonder the people called me stingy.”
“There is no harm in that. It is the way of humaneness: you had seen the ox but had not seen the sheep. When a noble person sees animals alive, he cannot bear to see them die; when he hears their cries, he cannot bear to eat their flesh. That is why a noble person stays far from the kitchen.”
The king was pleased. “The Odes say, ‘What lies in another's heart, I can discern.’ That describes you, Master. I acted, but on looking back and searching my heart, I could not understand it. Your words have stirred something in my heart. How does this heart of mine accord with kingship?”
“Suppose someone reported to Your Majesty, ‘I have strength enough to lift a hundred jun but cannot lift a single feather; sight keen enough to see the tip of an autumn hair, but cannot see a cartload of firewood.’ Would you believe him?”
“No.”
“Your compassion now reaches beasts, but its benefits do not reach the people. Why? A feather goes unlifted because strength is not used; a cartload of firewood goes unseen because sight is not used; the people go unprotected because compassion is not used. Your Majesty does not become king because you do not act, not because you cannot.”
“How can one distinguish the appearance of refusing to act from that of being unable?”
“To carry Mount Tai under one's arm and leap over the North Sea, and tell someone, ‘I cannot do it,’ is truly to be unable. To bend a branch for an elder and say, ‘I cannot do it,’ is to refuse, not to be unable. Your Majesty's failure to become king is not like carrying Mount Tai across the North Sea; it is like bending a branch. Treat your own elders as elders, and extend that care to the elders of others; treat your own young as young, and extend that care to the young of others. Then you can govern the world as easily as turning your palm. The Odes say, ‘He set the pattern for his wife, extended it to his brothers, and so governed household and state.’ This speaks only of taking this heart and applying it to others. Extend your compassion, and it is enough to protect all within the four seas; fail to extend it, and you cannot even protect your wife and children. The ancients excelled others in no other respect than this: they knew how to extend what they did. Why, then, does your compassion reach beasts, but its benefits fail to reach the people? Weigh something, and only then can you know its weight; measure it, and only then can you know its length. So it is with all things, and most of all the heart. I ask Your Majesty to measure yours. Or will you be satisfied only after raising armored troops, endangering your officers and ministers, and provoking enmity among the lords?”
The king said, “No. How could that satisfy me? I seek to achieve my greatest desire.”
“May I hear what Your Majesty most desires?”
The king smiled without speaking.
“Is it because rich food does not satisfy your mouth? Because light, warm clothing does not satisfy your body? Because bright colors do not suffice for your eyes, or music for your ears? Because your attendants are not enough to carry out your commands? Your ministers can provide all these. Surely these are not what you seek?”
“No. These are not my reason.”
“Then your great desire is plain: to enlarge your territory, receive Qin and Chu at your court, rule the central states, and pacify the peoples on the four borders. To seek such ends by the means you now employ is like climbing a tree in search of fish.”
“Is it really as bad as that?”
“Worse. Climb a tree for fish, and though you catch none, no calamity follows. Pursue your desire by your present means, and however fully you spend your strength and heart on it, calamity will surely follow.”
“May I hear why?”
“If the people of Zou fought the people of Chu, who would win, in Your Majesty's judgment?”
“The people of Chu.”
“So the small cannot withstand the large, the few cannot withstand the many, and the weak cannot withstand the strong. Within the seas there are nine tracts each a thousand li square; Qi gathers in its possession one of them. To subdue eight with one—how is this different from Zou opposing Chu? You must return to the root instead. If Your Majesty institutes humane government, all the men of service in the world will wish to stand in your court, its farmers to till your fields, its merchants to store goods in your markets, its travelers to pass along your roads, and all who resent their rulers to bring their complaints before you. If this comes to pass, who could withstand you?”
The king said, “I am muddled and cannot advance so far. I ask you, Master, to help me set my purpose and teach me clearly. Though I am slow of understanding, let me try.”
Mencius said, “Only men of service can maintain a steadfast heart without a secure livelihood. As for ordinary people, without a secure livelihood they have no steadfast heart. Once they lose their steadfast heart, there is nothing reckless, perverse, depraved, or extravagant that they will not do. When they have fallen into crime and only then one punishes them, one has trapped the people. How could a humane man in power trap the people? Thus an enlightened ruler provides the people with a livelihood that lets them support their parents above and nourish wives and children below, eat their fill throughout prosperous years and escape death in years of famine. Only then does he guide them toward goodness, and the people follow easily. Today the livelihood provided for the people does not allow them to support their parents or nourish wives and children. Even in prosperous years they toil in misery; in famine years they cannot escape death. They fear they lack even the means to survive: how can they find the leisure to cultivate ritual propriety and rightness? If Your Majesty wishes to put this into practice, why not return to the root? Plant mulberry trees on a five-mu homestead, and those of fifty can wear silk. Raise chickens, piglets, dogs, and hogs without neglecting their breeding seasons, and those of seventy can eat meat. Do not steal the farming season from a hundred-mu field, and a family of eight need not go hungry. Attend carefully to education in the schools and impress upon people their duty to parents and elder brothers, and gray-haired people will no longer bear loads along the roads. That the old should wear silk and eat meat, the people suffer neither hunger nor cold, and yet the ruler fail to become king of the world—such a thing has never been.”

### Book 1B · King Hui of Liang, Part Two

2.1 Zhuang Bao visited Mencius and said, “I had an audience with the king, who told me that he loves music. I did not know what to say.” He asked, “What do you think of loving music?”
Mencius said, “If the king loves music deeply, Qi may yet prosper!”
On another day Mencius had an audience with the king and said, “Your Majesty once told Zhuang Bao that you love music. Is that so?”
The king's face changed. “I cannot claim to love the music of the ancient kings; I only love the music of our age.”
“If Your Majesty loves music deeply, Qi may yet prosper. The music of today is like that of antiquity in this respect.”
“May I hear how?”
“Which brings greater joy: enjoying music alone or enjoying it with others?”
“With others.”
“And which brings greater joy: enjoying it with a few or with many?”
“With many.”
“Then let me speak to Your Majesty of music. If you play music here today and the people hear your bells and drums, pipes and flutes, they will clutch their aching heads, knit their brows, and tell one another, ‘Our king loves music, but why has he brought us to such misery? Fathers and sons cannot see each other; brothers, wives, and children are scattered.’ If Your Majesty hunts here and the people hear your horses and carriages and see your splendid feathered banners, they will clutch their heads, knit their brows, and say the same: ‘Our king loves hunting, but why has he brought us to such misery? Fathers and sons cannot see each other; brothers, wives, and children are scattered.’ There is no other reason: you do not share your joy with the people. But if Your Majesty plays music here and the people hear the bells, drums, pipes, and flutes, they will rejoice and say to one another with happy faces, ‘Our king must be free of illness, or how could he play music?’ If you hunt and they hear the horses and carriages and see the lovely feathered banners, they will rejoice and say, ‘Our king must be free of illness, or how could he hunt?’ There is no other reason: you share your joy with the people. If Your Majesty shares the people's joy now, you will become king of the world.”

2.2 King Xuan of Qi asked, “Was King Wen's game park seventy li square?”
Mencius replied, “So it is recorded.”
“Was it really so large?”
“The people thought it too small.”
“My park is forty li square, and the people think it too large. Why?”
“King Wen's park was seventy li square, but those gathering fodder or firewood went there, and so did those hunting pheasants and rabbits. He shared it with the people. Is it any wonder they thought it too small? When I first reached your border, I asked about the state's great prohibitions before I dared enter. I heard that within the suburban gates is a park forty li square, and killing one of its deer carries the same penalty as killing a person. That is to set a forty-li-square trap in the midst of the state. Is it any wonder the people think it too large?”

2.3 King Xuan of Qi asked, “Is there a way to deal with neighboring states?”
Mencius replied, “Yes. Only the humane can use their greatness to serve the small; thus Tang served Ge, and King Wen served the Kunyi. Only the wise can use their smallness to serve the great; thus the Great King served the Xunyu, and Goujian served Wu. To serve the small from a position of strength is to rejoice in Heaven; to serve the great from a position of weakness is to stand in awe of Heaven. Those who rejoice in Heaven safeguard the world; those who stand in awe of Heaven safeguard their state. The Odes say, ‘He stood in awe of Heaven's majesty and thereby preserved it.’”
The king said, “These are great words! But I have a failing: I love courage.”
Mencius replied, “Your Majesty, do not love petty courage. To grip one's sword, glare fiercely, and say, ‘Who dares face me?’—that is the courage of an ordinary man, enough to fight one person. Enlarge your courage! The Odes say, ‘The king flared up in anger, and ordered his hosts, to check the march on Ju, strengthen Zhou's blessing, and answer the world.’ Such was King Wen's courage: with one outburst of anger he brought peace to the people of the world. The Documents say, ‘Heaven brought forth the people below and appointed for them rulers and teachers, saying only: Let them aid the Lord on High and favor the four quarters. Guilty or innocent, all rest with me; who under Heaven would dare defy his will?’ That a single man should range violently over the world shamed King Wu. Such was his courage; one outburst of anger brought peace to the people of the world. If Your Majesty, too, grows angry once and brings peace to the people of the world, the people will fear only that you do not love courage enough.”

2.4 King Xuan of Qi met Mencius in the Snow Palace. “Do the worthy have pleasures like this?” he asked.
“Yes,” Mencius replied. “When people cannot enjoy them, they blame those above. To blame those above simply because they cannot enjoy them is wrong; yet for a ruler not to share joy with the people is also wrong. One who delights in the people's joys will find that they delight in his joys; one who grieves over their troubles will find that they grieve over his. To share the world's joy and share its sorrow, and yet fail to become king of the world—such a thing has never been. Once Duke Jing of Qi asked Yanzi, ‘I wish to sightsee at Zhuanfu and Chaowu, follow the coast southward, and reach Langye. What must I do to make my journey comparable to the tours of the former kings?’ Yanzi replied, ‘An excellent question! When the Son of Heaven went to the lords, it was called an inspection tour: he inspected what they guarded. When a lord appeared at the Son of Heaven's court, it was called a report of duty: he reported the work entrusted to him. Neither journey was without purpose. In spring the ruler inspected the plowing and supplied what was lacking; in autumn he inspected the harvest and helped those in need. A Xia proverb says, “If our king did not travel, how would we rest? If our king did not tour, how would we receive help? One journey, one tour, became a model for the lords.” Today things are different. The army marches and consumes the food, while the hungry have none to eat and the weary cannot rest. People glare and slander each other, and turn to wrongdoing. Rulers defy their charge and afflict the people, while food and drink flow like water. Their drifting and lingering, their reckless hunts and drunken excesses, are a burden to the lords. To follow the current downstream and forget to return is called drifting; to go upstream and forget to return is lingering; to hunt beasts without satisfaction is reckless hunting; to drink wine without satisfaction is drunken excess. The former kings knew no pleasure in drifting or lingering, no conduct of reckless hunting or drunken excess. The choice is yours, my lord.’ Duke Jing was pleased. He made great preparations throughout the state and lodged outside the city. Then he began opening the stores to make up the people's shortages. He summoned the master of music and said, ‘Compose music for me on the mutual delight of ruler and ministers.’ The pieces called Summons in the Zhi and Summons in the Jiao modes arose from this. Their verse asks, ‘What fault is there in restraining one's lord?’ To restrain one's lord is to care for him.”

2.5 King Xuan of Qi asked, “Everyone tells me to demolish the Bright Hall. Should I demolish it, or leave it?”
Mencius replied, “The Bright Hall is the hall of a true king. If Your Majesty wishes to practice kingly government, do not demolish it.”
“May I hear about kingly government?”
“When King Wen governed Qi, cultivators paid one part in nine, officials held hereditary stipends, gates and markets were inspected but not taxed, fishing in ponds and rivers was unrestricted, and the families of criminals were not punished. An old man without a wife is a widower; an old woman without a husband is a widow; an old person without children is solitary; a young child without a father is an orphan. These four are the most destitute people in the world and have no one to turn to. King Wen, in enacting humane government, put them first. The Odes say, ‘The wealthy fare well; pity the lonely and bereft.’”
“Excellent words!” said the king.
“If Your Majesty approves, why not put them into practice?”
“I have a failing: I love wealth.”
“In ancient times Duke Liu loved wealth. The Odes say, ‘He filled bins and granaries, wrapped up his provisions, filled sacks and bags. He thought to unite his people and bring them glory. Bows and arrows were strung; shields, spears, axes, and halberds were ready. Then at last they set forth.’ Those who stayed had stores in the granaries and those who traveled had provisions wrapped for the road; only then could they set forth. If Your Majesty loves wealth and shares it with the people, what stands in the way of kingship?”
“I have a failing: I love women.”
“In ancient times the Great King loved women; he cherished his consort. The Odes say, ‘Old Duke Danfu rode his horse at morning, followed the western riverbank, and reached the foot of Mount Qi; there with Lady Jiang he came to seek a home.’ At that time no woman inside the household was left resentful, no man outside left without a wife. If Your Majesty loves women and shares that good fortune with the people, what stands in the way of kingship?”

2.6 Mencius said to King Xuan of Qi, “Suppose one of your ministers entrusted his wife and children to a friend and traveled to Chu. When he returned, he found them cold and hungry. What should be done?”
“Abandon the friend,” said the king.
“If the chief judge cannot govern his judges, what should be done?”
“Dismiss him.”
“If everything within the four borders is misgoverned, what should be done?”
The king looked to either side and spoke of something else.

2.7 Mencius visited King Xuan of Qi and said, “What is called an old-established state is not one with ancient trees, but one with ministers whose families have served for generations. Your Majesty has no trusted ministers. Men you promoted in the past are gone today, and you do not even know it.”
The king said, “How can I tell who is unfit and dismiss him?”
“When a ruler promotes the worthy, he should do so as if he had no alternative, for this will place those of low standing above the honored and distant relations above kin. Can he fail to be careful? If all your attendants call a man worthy, that is not enough; if all your ministers do, that is not enough. When all the people of the state call him worthy, examine him; if he proves worthy, employ him. If all your attendants say a man is unfit, do not listen; if all your ministers do, do not listen. When all the people say he is unfit, examine him; if he proves unfit, remove him. If all your attendants say a man should be executed, do not listen; if all your ministers do, do not listen. When all the people say he should be executed, examine him; if he deserves execution, execute him. Thus it can be said, ‘The people of the state put him to death.’ Only in this way can you be father and mother to the people.”

2.8 King Xuan of Qi asked, “Did Tang banish Jie, and King Wu attack Zhou?”
“So the records say,” Mencius replied.
“Is it right for a minister to kill his ruler?”
“One who destroys humaneness is called a robber; one who destroys rightness is called a mutilator. A man who mutilates and robs is called a mere fellow. I have heard of the execution of the mere fellow Zhou, but have not heard of the murder of a ruler.”

2.9 Mencius visited King Xuan of Qi and said, “If you were building a great hall, you would have the master carpenter seek great timbers. When he found them, you would rejoice, knowing they could bear the load. If another carpenter cut them down to small pieces, you would be angry, knowing they could not bear it. Now a man studies a teaching in youth and wishes to put it into practice in maturity, but Your Majesty says, ‘Set aside what you learned and follow me.’ What is that like? If you had a block of uncut jade here, even if it were worth ten thousand yi, you would certainly have a jade craftsman carve it. Yet when it comes to governing the state, you say, ‘Set aside what you learned and follow me.’ How is that different from trying to teach the jade craftsman how to carve jade?”

2.10 Qi attacked Yan and conquered it. King Xuan asked, “Some tell me not to take it; others tell me to take it. A state with ten thousand chariots attacked another of ten thousand and captured it in fifty days: human strength alone could not do this. If I do not take it, Heaven will surely send disaster. What if I take it?”
Mencius replied, “If the people of Yan rejoice when you take it, take it; King Wu was an ancient who did so. If the people of Yan do not rejoice, do not take it; King Wen was an ancient who refrained. When one state of ten thousand chariots attacks another and its people greet the king's army carrying baskets of food and jars of drink, why do they do so? To escape flood and fire. If the flood becomes deeper and the fire burns hotter, they will only turn elsewhere.”

2.11 Qi attacked Yan and took it. The lords plotted to rescue Yan. King Xuan said, “Many lords plan to attack me. How should I face them?”
Mencius replied, “I have heard of Tang, who ruled the world from a territory of seventy li. I have never heard of a ruler with a thousand li of land who feared others. The Documents say, ‘Tang's first punitive campaign began with Ge.’ The world trusted him. When he marched east, the tribes in the west complained; when he marched south, the tribes in the north complained, saying, ‘Why does he leave us until last?’ The people looked for him as in great drought they look for clouds and rainbows. Those returning from market did not stop, and farmers did not abandon their work. He punished their ruler and comforted their people, like timely rain falling. The people rejoiced greatly. The Documents say, ‘We await our lord; when he comes, we shall live again.’ Now the ruler of Yan abused his people; when Your Majesty went to punish him, they thought you would rescue them from flood and fire and greeted your army with baskets of food and jars of drink. But if you kill their fathers and elder brothers, bind their sons and younger brothers, destroy their ancestral temples, and carry off their precious ritual vessels, how can this be allowed? The world already feared Qi's strength. Now that you have doubled your territory without instituting humane government, you are setting the world's armies in motion. Issue an order quickly: return their old and young, leave their precious vessels, consult the people of Yan, install a ruler, and then withdraw. It may still be possible to halt the attack.”

2.12 Zou and Lu fought. Duke Mu asked, “Thirty-three of my officers died, but none of the people died for them. If I execute the people, there are too many to execute; if I do not, they have stood watching their superiors die without rescuing them. What should I do?”
Mencius replied, “In years of bad harvest and famine, the old and weak among your people fell into ditches and ravines, while almost a thousand strong people scattered to the four quarters. Yet your granaries were full and your treasuries well supplied, and none of your officers told you. Those above neglected and injured those below. Zengzi said, ‘Take warning, take warning! What goes out from you comes back to you.’ Now the people have had their chance to return what they received. Do not blame them, my lord. Practice humane government, and the people will hold their superiors dear and die for their leaders.”

2.13 Duke Wen of Teng asked, “Teng is a small state caught between Qi and Chu. Should we serve Qi, or Chu?”
Mencius replied, “Such a strategy is beyond my powers. If I must answer, there is one course: dig your moat, build your walls, and defend them alongside the people. If they will fight to the death and not desert you, something can be done.”

2.14 Duke Wen of Teng asked, “The people of Qi are about to fortify Xue. I am very afraid. What should I do?”
Mencius replied, “Long ago the Great King lived in Bin. When the Di invaded, he left and settled beneath Mount Qi. He did not choose that place because it pleased him; he had no alternative. If you do good, one of your descendants will surely become king. A noble person establishes a foundation and leaves a tradition his successors can carry forward. Success lies with Heaven. What can you do about those people? Strive only to do good.”

2.15 Duke Wen of Teng asked, “Teng is a small state. Even when I do all I can to serve the great states, I cannot escape their threats. What should I do?”
Mencius replied, “Long ago the Great King lived in Bin. When the Di invaded, he served them with skins and silks, but could not escape them. He served them with dogs and horses, but could not escape them. He served them with pearls and jade, but could not escape them. Then he gathered his elders and told them, ‘What the Di want is our land. I have heard that a noble person does not use what should nourish people to harm them. Why worry that you will have no ruler? I shall leave.’ He departed from Bin, crossed Mount Liang, and founded a settlement below Mount Qi. The people of Bin said, ‘He is a humane man; we must not lose him.’ They followed him as crowds stream toward a market. Others say, ‘The land is an inheritance guarded from generation to generation; it is not yours to dispose of. Defend it to the death and do not leave.’ My lord, you must choose between these two courses.”

2.16 Duke Ping of Lu was about to go out when his favorite Zang Cang asked, “On other days, when my lord goes out, he tells his officers where he is going. Today the carriage is harnessed, but they do not know the destination. May I ask?”
“I am going to see Mencius.”
“Why should my lord demean himself and be the first to visit a common man? Do you consider him worthy? Ritual propriety and rightness come from the worthy, but Mencius gave his later parent a more elaborate funeral than his earlier one. Do not go to see him!”
“Very well,” the duke said.
Yue Zheng entered and asked, “Why does my lord not see Meng Ke?”
“Someone told me Mencius's later funeral surpassed the earlier one. That is why I did not go to see him.”
“What does my lord mean by ‘surpassed’? At the first he was a man of service, at the second a minister; the first used three offering vessels, the second five?”
“No, I mean the splendor of the inner and outer coffins, the burial clothes and covering.”
“That is not what ‘surpassed’ means. He was poor at one time and rich at the other.”
Yue Zheng visited Mencius and said, “I spoke to the ruler, and he was going to come and see you. His favorite Zang Cang stopped him, so he never came.”
Mencius said, “When a man goes forward, something may prompt him; when he stops, something may restrain him. But advance and retreat are not in human hands. That I have not met the lord of Lu is Heaven's doing. How could the son of Zang keep me from meeting him?”

### Book 2A · Gongsun Chou, Part One

3.1 Gongsun Chou asked, “If you held power in Qi, could the achievements of Guan Zhong and Yanzi be repeated?”
Mencius said, “You truly are a man of Qi: you know only Guan Zhong and Yanzi. Someone once asked Zeng Xi, ‘Who is worthier, you or Zilu?’ Zeng Xi looked uneasy and said, ‘He is a man my father held in awe.’ Then the man asked, ‘Who is worthier, you or Guan Zhong?’ Zeng Xi grew angry. ‘How dare you compare me with Guan Zhong? He enjoyed his ruler's exclusive trust for so long, held power over the state for so long, and accomplished so little! How dare you compare me to him?’ Guan Zhong is a man Zeng Xi refused to resemble. Why would you wish such a model for me?”
“But Guan Zhong made his ruler hegemon, and Yanzi brought glory to his. Are they still not worthy of imitation?”
“To make Qi the seat of true kingship would be as easy as turning one's hand over.”
“That leaves me more perplexed than ever. Even King Wen, with all his virtue, lived a hundred years before he died and still had not transformed the whole world. Only after King Wu and the Duke of Zhou succeeded him did his way prevail. If kingship is now as easy as you say, is King Wen not worth following?”
“How could anyone equal King Wen? From Tang to Wu Ding six or seven sage and worthy rulers arose. The world had long adhered to Yin, and what has endured long is hard to change. Wu Ding called the lords to his court and held the world as easily as one turns one's palm. Zhou lived not long after Wu Ding; the old families and customs, the continuing influence of good government, still survived. Moreover Weizi, Weizhong, Prince Bigan, Jizi, and Jiao Ge were all worthy men and helped him govern. That is why it took so long for him to lose his realm. Not a foot of land was outside his possession, not one person outside his service; King Wen, by contrast, arose from a territory of only a hundred li square. That was why it was hard. The people of Qi say, ‘Wisdom cannot compare with seizing the opportunity; a good hoe cannot compare with waiting for the season.’ Today the opportunity makes it easy. Even at their height, the Xia, Yin, and Zhou rulers never possessed more than a thousand li square, and Qi has that land. From one border to the other, roosters crow and dogs bark within earshot of each other: Qi has that population. No further land needs to be opened or people gathered. Practice humane government and become king: no one can resist you. Never has there been a longer interval without a true king; never have the people suffered worse under oppressive government. The hungry are easily satisfied with food; the thirsty, with drink. Confucius said, ‘Virtue spreads faster than a courier carries orders through the post stations.’ If a state of ten thousand chariots practiced humane government today, the people would welcome it as release from being hung upside down. Only now can one do half the work of the ancients and surely accomplish twice as much.”

3.2 Gongsun Chou asked, “If you became chief minister of Qi and could put your way into practice, it would be no wonder if Qi became hegemon or true king. Would this stir your heart?”
Mencius replied, “No. Since I turned forty my heart has not been shaken.”
“Then you far surpass Meng Ben.”
“That is not difficult. Gaozi attained an unshaken heart before I did.”
“Is there a method for keeping the heart unshaken?”
“Yes. Beigong You cultivated courage by refusing to shrink from a blow to his skin or turn his eyes away. The least humiliation seemed to him like being whipped in the marketplace. He would accept it no more from a man in coarse clothes than from the ruler of ten thousand chariots. To stab such a ruler was, in his eyes, no different from stabbing a commoner. He felt no awe of lords; any insult he received he returned. Meng Shishe cultivated courage differently. He said, ‘I look on defeat as I look on victory. To size up an enemy before advancing, to calculate victory before joining battle, is to fear the opposing army. How could I ensure that I win? I can ensure only that I feel no fear.’ Meng Shishe resembled Zengzi; Beigong You resembled Zixia. I do not know which man's courage was greater, but Meng Shishe held to the simpler principle. Zengzi once said to Zixiang, ‘Do you love courage? I once heard the Master speak of great courage: if I look within and find myself in the wrong, I tremble even before a man in coarse clothes; if I look within and find myself in the right, I will go forward against tens of millions.’ Even Meng Shishe's hold on his qi did not equal Zengzi's hold on what was essential.”
“May I ask how your unshaken heart differs from Gaozi's?”
“Gaozi said, ‘When words fail you, do not seek the answer in your heart; when your heart fails you, do not seek it in your qi.’ Not seeking it in your qi when your heart fails is acceptable; not seeking it in your heart when words fail is not. The will is commander of the qi; qi fills the body. The will comes first, qi follows. Thus I say, ‘Hold fast to your will, and do not abuse your qi.’”
“If the will comes first and the qi follows, why also say, ‘Hold fast to your will, and do not abuse your qi’?”
“When the will fixes on a single thing, it moves the qi; when qi fixes on a single thing, it moves the will. A person who stumbles or runs has a bodily movement of qi that in turn moves the heart.”
“What are you especially skilled at, Master?”
“I understand words, and I know how to nourish my flood-like qi.”
“What is this flood-like qi?”
“It is difficult to say. This qi is supremely vast and firm. Nourish it with uprightness and do it no harm, and it fills the space between Heaven and earth. It is a qi joined to rightness and the Way; without these it starves. It arises from the accumulation of righteous acts, not from snatching at rightness in a single act. If your conduct leaves your heart dissatisfied, it starves. That is why I say Gaozi never understood rightness: he treated it as something external. You must work at it without demanding immediate results. Let your heart not forget it, but do not force its growth. Do not be like the man of Song who worried that his seedlings were not growing and pulled them upward. He returned home exhausted and said to his family, ‘I am worn out today! I helped the seedlings grow!’ His son rushed out to look and found them all withered. Few in the world refrain from meddling with their seedlings. Those who give them up as useless are the ones who fail to weed them. Those who force their growth are the ones who pull them up: they not only fail to help, but harm them.”
“What do you mean by understanding words?”
“I know what obscures a one-sided argument, where excessive speech becomes entangled, what deviant speech departs from, and where evasive speech runs out of ground. Such words arise in the heart and corrupt government; when they appear in government they harm its affairs. Were a sage to rise again, he would affirm what I say.”
“Zai Wo and Zigong were skilled speakers; Ran Niu, Minzi, and Yan Yuan spoke well of virtuous conduct. Confucius combined these gifts, but said, ‘In framing words for diplomatic occasions, I have no ability.’ Does that mean you, Master, are already a sage?”
“What! How can you say that? Zigong once asked Confucius, ‘Master, are you a sage?’ Confucius said, ‘I cannot claim to be a sage. I learn without tiring and teach without weariness.’ Zigong replied, ‘To learn without tiring is wisdom; to teach without weariness is humaneness. Being both humane and wise, Master, you are indeed a sage.’ Confucius himself would not claim sagehood. How can you say such a thing of me?”
“I have heard that Zixia, Ziyou, and Zizhang each possessed one aspect of the sage, whereas Ran Niu, Minzi, and Yan Yuan possessed the whole, though on a smaller scale. Which of these would you claim?”
“Let us leave that aside.”
“What of Bo Yi and Yi Yin?”
“They followed different ways. Bo Yi would serve no ruler but one he deemed worthy, employ no people but those he deemed worthy; he advanced in ordered times and withdrew in disorder. Yi Yin asked, ‘What ruler is not fit to serve? What people are not fit to employ?’ He advanced in ordered times and also in disorder. Confucius took office when office was fitting, stopped when stopping was fitting, stayed when staying was fitting, and left swiftly when that was fitting. All three are sages of antiquity. I cannot act as they did, but the one I wish to study is Confucius.”
“Were Bo Yi and Yi Yin in the same rank as Confucius?”
“No. Since human beings first arose there has been no one like Confucius.”
“Did they share anything?”
“Yes. Given a territory of a hundred li square to rule, all three could have brought the lords to their court and possessed the world. None would have performed a single unjust act or killed one innocent person to gain it. In this they were alike.”
“May I ask how they differed?”
“Zai Wo, Zigong, and You Ruo had insight enough to recognize a sage, and were not so base as to flatter someone they favored. Zai Wo said, ‘As I see the Master, he surpasses Yao and Shun by far.’ Zigong said, ‘Observe his rites and you know his government; hear his music and you know his virtue. Judge a hundred ancient kings from a hundred generations later, and none can escape his measure. Since human beings first arose, there has been no one like the Master.’ You Ruo said, ‘And not only among human beings! The qilin among beasts on foot, the phoenix among birds in flight, Mount Tai among hills and mounds, the rivers and seas beside roadside puddles—all belong to their respective kinds. The sage, too, belongs to humankind, yet he rises above his kind and stands out from the multitude. Since human beings first arose, no one has been greater than Confucius.’”

3.3 Mencius said, “A man who borrows the appearance of humaneness and relies on force becomes a hegemon, but a hegemon must possess a great state. A man who acts humanely through virtue becomes a true king; he need not rule a great state. Tang began with seventy li, King Wen with a hundred. Those subdued by force do not submit in their hearts: they merely lack the strength to resist. Those subdued by virtue rejoice inwardly and submit in earnest, as the seventy disciples submitted to Confucius. The Odes say, ‘From west and east, from south and north, none thought of refusing to submit.’ This is what the verse means.”

3.4 Mencius said, “Humaneness brings honor; inhumanity brings disgrace. To hate disgrace yet live without humaneness is like hating dampness while dwelling on low ground. If you hate disgrace, honor virtue and respect men of service. Let the worthy hold positions of power and the capable fulfill their offices. When the state is at peace, take that time to clarify its laws and punishments: then even great states will fear it. The Odes say, ‘Before the clouds brought rain, I stripped mulberry roots and bound my doors and windows. Now which of you people below would dare insult me?’ Confucius said, ‘The maker of this poem understood the Way! If one governs one's state well, who would dare insult it?’ Yet if, when the state is at peace, its ruler spends his time in idle pleasures, he is inviting disaster. Blessings and disasters alike are sought by oneself. The Odes say, ‘Always seek to accord with the Mandate and find abundant blessings for yourself.’ The Great Jia says, ‘Disasters wrought by Heaven may still be escaped; disasters wrought by oneself leave no hope of survival.’ This is what it means.”

3.5 Mencius said, “Honor the worthy and employ the capable; if outstanding people hold office, the men of service throughout the world will delight in standing in your court. If merchants in your markets pay rent for their stalls but no tax on goods, or if you inspect their goods by law and charge no stall rent, the world's merchants will gladly store their wares in your markets. If border stations inspect travelers but do not tax them, travelers from everywhere will gladly use your roads. If farmers give their labor to the common field but are not taxed on their own, the world's farmers will gladly till your land. If households are free from the poll and residential levies, people everywhere will gladly become your subjects. If you can truly do these five things, the people of neighboring states will look up to you as to their parents. Never since humankind first arose has anyone succeeded in leading children to attack their parents. Then you will have no enemy in the world. One who has no enemy in the world is an agent of Heaven. No such man has ever failed to become king.”

3.6 Mencius said, “All people have a heart that cannot bear the suffering of others. The former kings had such a heart and so devised a government that could not bear to let others suffer. Govern with that heart through such a government, and ordering the world becomes as easy as turning it in your palm. Here is why I say all people have a heart that cannot bear others' suffering: if someone suddenly sees a small child about to fall into a well, everyone feels alarm and compassion. It is not because they wish to win the parents' favor, seek praise from neighbors and friends, or avoid the sound of blame. From this we see that without compassion one is not human; without shame and aversion one is not human; without deference and yielding one is not human; without a sense of right and wrong one is not human. Compassion is the sprout of humaneness; shame and aversion, the sprout of rightness; deference and yielding, the sprout of ritual propriety; the sense of right and wrong, the sprout of wisdom. A person has these four sprouts just as surely as four limbs. One who has them and says he cannot act on them is harming himself; one who says his ruler cannot act on them is harming his ruler. Everyone who possesses these four sprouts must know how to expand and fulfill them, as a flame first catches fire or a spring first begins to flow. Fulfill them, and they suffice to protect all within the four seas; fail to fulfill them, and they will not suffice even to serve your parents.”

3.7 Mencius said, “Is an arrow-maker less humane than an armor-maker? The arrow-maker fears that his arrows will not wound people; the armor-maker fears that people will be wounded. So it is with a healer and a coffin-maker. One must choose one's occupation carefully. Confucius said, ‘To dwell among the humane is best. If one chooses a dwelling without humaneness, how can one be wise?’ Humaneness is Heaven's highest rank and the safe dwelling of human beings. If nothing bars your way to it and still you are not humane, you lack wisdom. Without humaneness or wisdom, without ritual propriety or rightness, you become another's servant. To be a servant and feel ashamed of service is like a bow-maker ashamed to make bows or an arrow-maker ashamed to make arrows. If you feel shame, nothing is better than practicing humaneness. A humane person is like an archer: the archer sets himself straight before releasing the arrow; if he shoots and misses, he does not resent the one who beats him, but turns back and seeks the cause in himself.”

3.8 Mencius said, “Zilu rejoiced whenever someone told him of a fault. Yu bowed when he heard good words. Great Shun surpassed them both: he shared goodness with others, set aside his own views to follow theirs, and gladly took from others what he could put to good use. From the time he plowed and farmed, shaped pots, and fished until he became emperor, he continually took good from others. To take goodness from others is to help them do good. For a noble person there is nothing greater than helping others do good.”

3.9 Mencius said, “Bo Yi would serve only a worthy ruler and befriend only a worthy friend. He would not stand in the court of a wicked man or speak with one: to do so was like sitting in mud and ashes dressed in court cap and court robes. Such was his aversion to evil that if he thought of standing beside a villager whose cap was crooked, he would look away and leave, as though fearing defilement. So even when lords approached him with gracious words, he would not accept their invitations: he disdained to join them. Liuxia Hui felt no shame at serving an impure ruler or holding a low office. When he advanced, he never concealed his worth and always followed his Way. If he was passed over, he felt no resentment; if reduced to hardship, he did not grieve. He said, ‘You are you, and I am I. Even if you bare your chest and strip naked beside me, how can you defile me?’ He stayed easily among such men without losing himself. When they drew him back, he remained: he disdained to leave.” Mencius said, “Bo Yi was too narrow; Liuxia Hui, too undignified. A noble person follows neither course.”

### Book 2B · Gongsun Chou, Part Two

4.1 Mencius said, “Favorable weather is less valuable than advantageous terrain; advantageous terrain is less valuable than human solidarity. An inner city three li around, with outer walls seven li around, may be surrounded and attacked without being taken. Those who surround it must have chosen favorable weather, yet they do not prevail: weather is less valuable than terrain. A city's walls may be high, its moat deep, its weapons and armor strong and sharp, its rice and grain plentiful; yet its defenders abandon it and flee. Terrain is less valuable than human solidarity. Thus one cannot confine the people by borders, secure a state by mountains and ravines, or awe the world with sharp weapons and sturdy armor. The one who has the Way receives abundant help; the one who loses it receives little. When help dwindles to the utmost, even relatives rebel; when help abounds to the utmost, the whole world follows. If one supported by the world attacks one abandoned by his own relatives, he may choose not to fight; if he fights, he is certain to win.”

4.2 Mencius was about to attend the king's court. The king sent a messenger saying, “I would have come to see you, but a chill makes it impossible for me to face the wind. I shall hold court tomorrow morning; may I hope to see you then?”
Mencius replied, “Unfortunately I am ill and cannot attend court.”
The next day he went out to offer condolences to the Dongguo family. Gongsun Chou said, “Yesterday you declined on grounds of illness. Is it right to go to a house of mourning today?”
“I was ill yesterday and have recovered today. Why should I not pay my respects?”
The king sent someone to ask after his health, and a doctor came. Meng Zhongzi answered, “Yesterday, when the king's command came, he was indisposed and could not attend court. Today he is somewhat better and has hurried to the court, though I do not know whether he can reach it.” He sent men to intercept Mencius on the road and say, “Please do not return home; go to court at all costs.”
Unable to return, Mencius spent the night with Jing Chou.
Jing Chou said, “Within the family, father and son; outside it, ruler and minister: these are the great human relationships. Between father and son love is paramount; between ruler and minister, respect. I have seen the king's respect for you, but have not seen how you respect the king.”
“What are you saying? The people of Qi do not speak to the king of humaneness and rightness. Is it because they think these things are not good? In their hearts they say, ‘He is hardly worth discussing humaneness and rightness with.’ Nothing is more disrespectful than that. I would not dare set before the king anything but the Way of Yao and Shun. No one in Qi respects the king more than I do.”
“No, that is not what I mean. The Rites say, ‘When your father calls, do not just answer; when your ruler summons you, do not wait for the carriage to be harnessed.’ You intended to attend court, but, on hearing the king's command, did not go after all. That hardly seems to accord with ritual propriety.”
“Is that what you mean? Zengzi said, ‘I cannot match the wealth of Jin and Chu. They may present their wealth, but I present my humaneness; they may present their rank, but I present my rightness. What reason have I to feel inadequate?’ Could Zengzi have said this without reason? There is a principle here. Three things command universal respect in the world: rank, age, and virtue. At court rank counts most; among neighbors, age; for aiding the world and leading its people, virtue. How can a man use the one he possesses to slight the other two? A ruler who means to accomplish great things must have ministers he cannot summon: when he wants their advice, he goes to them. Unless he honors virtue and delights in the Way to this degree, he cannot accomplish anything. Tang learned from Yi Yin before making him his minister, and so became king without labor; Duke Huan learned from Guan Zhong before making him his minister, and so became hegemon without labor. Today the states are alike in extent and their rulers alike in virtue; none can surpass the rest. The reason is simply that they like to appoint as ministers those whom they teach, not those from whom they might learn. Tang did not dare summon Yi Yin, nor Duke Huan Guan Zhong. If even Guan Zhong could not be summoned, how much less a man who refuses to be Guan Zhong!”

4.3 Chen Zhen asked, “Earlier, in Qi, you refused the king's gift of a hundred pieces of fine gold. In Song you accepted seventy yi, and in Xue fifty. If refusing before was right, accepting now is wrong; if accepting now is right, refusing before was wrong. You must admit one of these.”
Mencius said, “All were right. In Song I was about to make a long journey; one gives travelers a parting gift, and it was offered as ‘provisions for the road.’ Why should I not accept it? In Xue I had reason to fear for my safety, and it was offered with the words ‘I heard you were in danger, so I give this to buy weapons.’ Why should I not accept? In Qi, however, there was no such occasion. To give a man a gift for no reason is to try to buy him. How could a noble person be bought with gifts?”

4.4 Mencius went to Pinglu and told its governor, “If one of your spear-bearing soldiers fell out of formation three times in a day, would you dismiss him?”
“I would not wait for the third time.”
“You yourself have fallen out of formation many times. In years of famine, old and feeble people under your charge have fallen into ditches and ravines, while nearly a thousand strong people have scattered to the four quarters.”
“This is not something I, Kong Juxin, can prevent.”
“If a man accepted another's sheep and cattle to tend, he would surely find pasture and fodder for them. If he could find neither, should he return the animals to their owner, or stand and watch them die?”
“This is my fault,” Kong Juxin said.
Another day Mencius had an audience with the king and said, “I know five governors of Your Majesty's cities. Only Kong Juxin acknowledges his fault.” He related the conversation to the king.
The king said, “The fault is mine.”

4.5 Mencius said to Chi Wa, “You were right to resign from Lingqiu and seek the office of chief judge, since that office would allow you to speak out. Several months have passed: have you still had no occasion to speak?”
Chi Wa remonstrated with the king, was ignored, resigned his office, and left.
The people of Qi said, “His advice to Chi Wa was sound, but as for his own conduct, we do not understand it.”
Gongduzi reported this to Mencius.
Mencius said, “I have heard that one charged with an office should leave when he cannot fulfill its duties, and one charged with offering counsel should leave when he cannot make himself heard. I hold no such office and bear no such duty. Am I not then free to advance or withdraw as I please?”

4.6 When Mencius was a minister in Qi, he went to Teng to offer condolences. The king sent Wang Huan, governor of Gai, as his assistant on the journey. Morning and evening Wang Huan came to see him, yet throughout the journey between Qi and Teng, going and returning, Mencius never spoke to him about the mission.
Gongsun Chou asked, “The office of a Qi minister is no small thing, and the road between Qi and Teng is not short. Why did you never discuss the mission with him, there or back?”
“Someone else had already seen to it. What need had I to say anything?”

4.7 Mencius went from Qi to Lu to bury his mother. On his return to Qi he stopped at Ying. Chong Yu asked, “Previously, though you knew I lacked skill, you placed me in charge of the craftsmen. In the press of the funeral I did not dare ask, but now I would like to: the wood of the coffins seemed exceptionally fine.”
Mencius said, “In the earliest days there was no rule for the thickness of inner and outer coffins. In later antiquity the inner coffin was seven inches thick and the outer made in proportion; this was so from the Son of Heaven down to ordinary people. It was not merely for display, but to satisfy one's heart. One cannot take pleasure in this if one is forbidden to do it; nor if one lacks the means. If one is allowed and has the means, all the ancients did it. Why should I alone refrain? Besides, to keep earth from touching the body of one who has returned to it—is this not some comfort to the heart? I have heard a noble person say that one does not stint on one's parents for the sake of anything in the world.”

4.8 Shen Tong asked Mencius privately, “Is it right to attack Yan?”
“Yes. Zikuai had no right to give Yan to Zizhi, and Zizhi had no right to receive Yan from Zikuai. Suppose an official here pleases you, and without telling the king you privately grant him your rank and stipend; and suppose that official privately accepts them without the king's command. Would that be right? How does this differ?”
Qi attacked Yan. Someone asked Mencius, “Did you urge Qi to attack Yan?”
“No. Shen Tong asked, ‘Is it right to attack Yan?’ I replied, ‘Yes,’ and they went and attacked it. Had he asked, ‘Who has the right to attack it?’ I would have answered, ‘One acting as Heaven's officer has that right.’ If someone has committed murder and a man asks, ‘May a murderer be executed?’ I would say, ‘Yes.’ But if he asks, ‘Who may execute him?’ I would say, ‘The chief judge.’ Now one state like Yan attacks Yan. Why would I urge them to do it?”

4.9 When the people of Yan rebelled, the king said, “I feel deeply ashamed before Mencius.”
Chen Jia said, “Your Majesty need not worry. Do you believe yourself as humane and wise as the Duke of Zhou?”
“What are you saying?”
“The Duke of Zhou appointed his brother Guan Shu to oversee Yin, and Guan Shu led Yin in rebellion. If the duke knew he would rebel yet appointed him, he was not humane; if he did not know, he was not wise. Even the Duke of Zhou did not possess perfect humaneness and wisdom. How much less Your Majesty! Let me visit Mencius and explain it.”
He met Mencius and asked, “What kind of man was the Duke of Zhou?”
“An ancient sage.”
“He appointed Guan Shu to oversee Yin, and Guan Shu rebelled with Yin. Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Did the Duke of Zhou know beforehand that he would rebel?”
“No.”
“Then even a sage may err?”
“The Duke of Zhou was the younger brother, and Guan Shu the elder. Was it not natural that the duke should make that mistake? Moreover the noble people of antiquity corrected their errors; the noble people of today accommodate theirs. The ancients' errors were like eclipses of sun and moon: everyone saw them, and when they corrected them, everyone looked up to them. Those of today do more than accommodate their errors: they also invent excuses for them.”

4.10 Mencius resigned his ministry and prepared to return home. The king came to see him and said, “Formerly I wanted to see you but could not. To have you beside me at court gave me great pleasure. Now you are leaving me again. Might I continue to see you?”
Mencius replied, “I would not dare ask, but it is certainly what I wish.”
Another day the king said to Shizi, “I want to give Mencius a house in the center of the state and ten thousand measures of grain to support his disciples, so that my ministers and people may all have someone to revere and emulate. Why not tell him for me?”
Shizi told Chenzi, who conveyed the message to Mencius.
Mencius said, “Yes. How could Shizi know why this is impossible? If I wished for wealth, would I have refused a hundred thousand measures only to accept ten thousand? Would that show a desire for wealth? Jisun said, ‘How strange Zishu Yi is! If he held power but his counsel was not used, he should have stopped there. Instead, he made his sons and younger brothers ministers. Everyone desires wealth and honor, but he alone has tried to corner a private share in their very midst.’ In antiquity, markets were places where people exchanged what they had for what they lacked, and officers merely kept order. But a base fellow sought out a high rise, climbed it, and watched in every direction to capture all the market's profit. Everyone considered him contemptible and began to tax him. Taxing merchants began with this base fellow.”

4.11 As Mencius left Qi, he lodged at Zhou. A visitor who wished to keep him there for the king sat and spoke to him. Mencius gave no reply, but leaned against his armrest and lay down.
The visitor was displeased. “I prepared myself by fasting and abstinence before I dared speak to you. You lie down and will not listen. I shall not presume to see you again.”
“Sit down. Let me explain clearly. In former times Duke Mu of Lu could not keep Zisi content without someone attending him at Zisi's side; Xie Liu and Shen Xiang could not keep their positions secure without someone attending Duke Mu at his side. You thought of the elder, but did not think as far as Zisi. Is it you who are breaking with the elder, or the elder with you?”

4.12 As Mencius left Qi, Yin Shi told someone, “If he did not know the king could never become a Tang or King Wu, he lacked insight; if he knew and came anyway, he was seeking favors. He traveled a thousand li to see the king, then left when he found no place there. Why linger three nights at Zhou before departing? I find this displeasing.”
Gaozi reported this to Mencius.
Mencius said, “What does Yin Shi know of me? I wanted to travel a thousand li to see the king; I did not want to leave when I found no place there. I had no choice. Even after staying three nights at Zhou, I felt I had left too quickly. Perhaps the king would change! If he changed, he would certainly call me back. Only when I left Zhou and the king did not send after me did I firmly resolve to return home. Even then, have I abandoned the king? He is still capable of doing good. If he employed me, not only Qi's people but all the people of the world would find peace. Perhaps the king will change! I await it every day. Am I like the petty man who, after offering advice his ruler rejects, grows angry and shows his resentment on his face, then leaves and walks the whole day to get as far away as he can before lodging?”
When Yin Shi heard this, he said, “I truly am a petty man.”

4.13 As Mencius left Qi, Chong Yu asked along the road, “Master, you look unhappy. Once I heard you say, ‘The noble person does not resent Heaven or blame other people.’”
“That was one time; this is another. Every five hundred years a true king must arise, with men of renown in the intervening years. More than seven hundred years have passed since Zhou: by the count the time is overdue, and judging by the age, the time is ripe. Perhaps Heaven does not yet wish to bring peace and order to the world. If it did, who but I, in this age, would do so? Why should I be unhappy?”

4.14 After leaving Qi, Mencius stayed in Xiu. Gongsun Chou asked, “Is taking office without receiving a stipend a practice of antiquity?”
“No. At Chong I had an audience with the king; when I left I meant to depart and did not wish to change my purpose, so I refused the stipend. Then a military order prevented me from requesting leave. It was never my wish to remain in Qi so long.”

### Book 3A · Duke Wen of Teng, Part One

5.1 While still heir to Teng, Duke Wen was on his way to Chu when he passed through Song and visited Mencius. Mencius spoke of the goodness of human nature, always invoking Yao and Shun.
Returning from Chu, the heir saw Mencius again. Mencius said, “Do you doubt my words, my lord? There is only one Way. Cheng Jian told Duke Jing of Qi, ‘He is a man; I too am a man. Why should I fear him?’ Yan Yuan said, ‘What sort of man was Shun? What sort am I? Whoever acts can become like him.’ Gongming Yi said, ‘King Wen is my teacher. Surely the Duke of Zhou would not deceive me?’ If you measure Teng's land, adding its shorter reaches to its longer, it approaches fifty li square. Even so, it can become a good state. The Documents say, ‘If the medicine does not make you dizzy, your sickness will not be cured.’”

5.2 When Duke Ding of Teng died, the heir said to Ran You, “Once Mencius spoke to me in Song, and I have never forgotten his words. Now that this terrible loss has come, I want you to consult him before I arrange the funeral.”
Ran You went to Zou and asked Mencius.
“How good that is!” said Mencius. “In mourning for one's parent, one must give all of oneself. Zengzi said, ‘Serve them with ritual propriety while they live; bury them with ritual propriety when they die, and make offerings with ritual propriety: this may be called devotion to parents.’ I have not studied the funeral rites of the lords. Yet I have heard that mourning for three years, wearing coarse, plain garments and eating gruel, was common to the Xia, Yin, and Zhou, from the Son of Heaven down to ordinary people.”
Ran You returned with this answer, and the heir decreed three years of mourning. His elder kinsmen and officials all opposed him. “None of the former rulers of Lu, our ancestral state, observed this,” they said, “and neither did our own predecessors. You must not change their custom in your reign. Besides, the Records say, ‘In funerals and sacrifices follow your ancestors.’ We have inherited this instruction.”
The heir told Ran You, “In earlier days I never devoted myself to learning; I preferred racing horses and practicing swordplay. Now my elders and officials are dissatisfied with me, and I fear I may fail to do all that this great event demands. Ask Mencius for me once more.”
Ran You went back to Zou and asked Mencius.
“That is so,” said Mencius. “This is not something to seek from others. Confucius said, ‘When a ruler dies, the chief minister receives the orders. The heir eats gruel, his face dark with grief; he takes his place and weeps. None of the officials dare fail to mourn, for he has led them. What those above love, those below love still more. The virtue of a noble person is the wind; the virtue of ordinary people is grass. When wind blows over grass, it bends.’ It depends on the heir.”
Ran You returned and delivered this answer.
“Yes,” said the heir, “it truly depends on me.”
For five months he dwelt in his mourning hut and issued no commands. His officials and kin said he understood the rites. At the burial, people came from all four quarters to watch. Seeing the grief on his face and hearing the sorrow of his weeping, those who came to console him were deeply pleased.

5.3 Duke Wen of Teng asked how to govern a state.
Mencius said, “The people's livelihood cannot wait. The Odes say, ‘By day gather thatch; by night twist rope. Hurry to mend the roof, then begin to sow the hundred grains.’ The way of the people is this: those with a secure livelihood have a steadfast heart; those without one do not. Without a steadfast heart, there is nothing reckless, perverse, depraved, or extravagant they will not do. To wait until they have fallen into crime and then punish them is to trap the people. How can a humane person in power possibly trap them? A worthy ruler therefore governs reverently and frugally, treats his inferiors with ritual propriety, and sets limits to what he takes from the people. Yang Hu said, ‘Those who pursue wealth cannot be humane; those who pursue humaneness cannot be wealthy.’
“Under the Xia rulers, fields of fifty mu paid a tribute; under Yin, fields of seventy mu required labor on a common field; under Zhou, fields of a hundred mu paid a tenth. In reality each took one part in ten. The Zhou levy was a collective contribution; the Yin system relied on shared labor. Longzi said, ‘For governing farmland no system is better than shared labor, none worse than tribute. Tribute fixes a customary amount by averaging the yield of several years. In abundant years, when grain lies scattered everywhere, even taking more would not oppress the people; instead the ruler takes little. In lean years, when there is not enough even to manure the fields, he still demands the full amount. If a ruler who calls himself the people's father and mother makes them look desperately toward the end of the year, labor without respite, fail to support their parents, and borrow to pay his levy, until their old and young fall into ditches and ravines, how can he call himself their father and mother?’ Teng already practices hereditary stipends. The Odes say, ‘Send rain upon our lord's field, and then upon our own.’ Only the shared-labor system has a lord's field. From this we see that even Zhou used shared labor.
“Establish village schools and academies to teach the people. The village school fosters, the academy instructs, and the training school teaches archery. The Xia called theirs the academy, the Yin the training school, the Zhou the village school; all three dynasties had higher schools. Their purpose was to make human relationships clear. When these relationships are clear among those above, ordinary people below grow close to one another. If a true king arises, he will come here for his model; you will be the teacher of kings. The Odes say, ‘Though Zhou was an ancient state, its Mandate was new.’ That speaks of King Wen. Put this into practice with all your strength, and you too can renew your state!”
The duke sent Bi Zhan to ask about the well-field system.
Mencius said, “Your ruler intends to practice humane government and has chosen you for this work. You must strive. Humane government begins with marking out the boundaries. If boundaries are incorrectly drawn, the well-fields are uneven and grain stipends unequal. That is why violent rulers and corrupt officials always neglect the boundaries. Once the boundaries are correctly drawn, the allocation of land and stipends can be settled without difficulty.
“Teng has little arable land, but it will always need both noble people and field workers. Without noble people, no one governs the workers; without workers, no one supports the noble people. I suggest that in the countryside you use the system of one part in nine, cultivated through shared labor; in the towns levy one part in ten, paid by each household. Ministers and everyone below them should have hereditary ceremonial land. Let a minister's ceremonial holding be fifty mu, and a younger son receive twenty-five mu. Those who die or move should not leave their village. Villagers should share a well-field, be friends when they come and go, help one another in watch and defense, and support one another in sickness; then the people will be close and harmonious. Mark out a square li as one well-field of nine hundred mu, with the central plot as the public field. Eight families each hold a private hundred mu and cultivate the public field together. Only after completing their public work may they attend to their own: this is how field workers are distinguished. That is the general outline. Refining it lies with your ruler and you.”

5.4 Xu Xing, who followed the teachings of Shennong, came from Chu to Teng, visited Duke Wen's gate, and said, “I have come from afar, having heard that you practice humane government. I wish for a plot of land where I may become your subject.” The duke gave him a place to live. His several dozen followers wore coarse clothes and supported themselves by making sandals and weaving mats.
Chen Xiang, a disciple of Chen Liang, and his brother Xin carried their farming tools from Song to Teng. “We hear you practice the government of sages,” they said to the duke. “Then you are a sage yourself, and we wish to be your subjects.”
Chen Xiang met Xu Xing, was delighted, abandoned everything he had learned, and studied with him.
He visited Mencius and repeated Xu Xing's teaching: “The ruler of Teng is indeed worthy, but he has not yet heard the Way. A worthy ruler plows alongside the people to eat, cooking his own meals as he governs. Teng, however, has granaries and treasuries: the duke exploits the people to support himself. How can he be worthy?”
Mencius asked, “Does Master Xu grow grain before he eats it?”
“Yes.”
“Does he weave cloth before he wears it?”
“No. He wears coarse cloth.”
“Does he wear a cap?”
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
“An undyed cap.”
“Does he weave it himself?”
“No. He trades grain for it.”
“Why does he not weave it himself?”
“That would interfere with farming.”
“Does Master Xu cook with pots and steamers and plow with iron tools?”
“Yes.”
“Does he make them himself?”
“No. He trades grain for them.”
“Trading grain for tools does not mean exploiting potters and smiths; do potters and smiths exploit farmers when they trade their tools for grain? Why does Master Xu not become a potter and smith and produce everything he needs at home? Why take the trouble of trading with all the artisans?”
“One cannot both farm and practice every craft.”
“Then can one farm and govern the world at the same time? There is work for great people and work for ordinary people. The body of a single person needs the products of a hundred crafts. If each person had to make everything before using it, everyone would be driven to exhaustion. Thus some labor with their hearts, others with their strength. Those who labor with their hearts govern others; those who labor with their strength are governed. The governed feed the governors; the governors are fed by the governed. This is the universal principle of the world.
“In Yao's time the world was not yet settled. Floodwaters ran wild and covered the earth; plants flourished unchecked and birds and beasts multiplied. The five grains would not ripen, and beasts pressed upon humankind. Trails of hoofprints and birds' tracks crossed the central lands. Yao alone was troubled by this and raised Shun to bring order. Shun appointed Yi to take charge of fire; Yi burned the mountain forests and marshes, and the beasts fled into hiding. Yu opened channels for nine rivers, cleared the Ji and Ta and sent them into the sea; he opened the Ru and Han and drained the Huai and Si into the Yangtze. Only then could the people of the central lands grow food. Yu spent eight years away and passed his own door three times without entering. Even if he had wanted to farm, could he have done so?
“Hou Ji taught the people to sow and harvest, to cultivate the five grains. When the grains ripened, the people were nourished. But the way of human beings is such that if they eat their fill, wear warm clothes, and dwell in comfort without being taught, they become close to beasts. The sage was troubled by this and made Xie minister of instruction to teach human relationships: affection between father and son, rightness between ruler and minister, distinction between husband and wife, order between elder and younger, and trust between friends. Fangxun said, ‘Bring them together, work for them, guide and straighten them, assist and support them, help them find their own way, and raise them up through virtue.’ Such was the sage's concern for the people. Did he have time to plow?
“Yao worried that he might not find Shun; Shun worried that he might not find Yu and Gao Yao. The man who worries that his hundred-mu field will not be well cultivated is a farmer. To distribute wealth is generosity; to teach goodness is loyalty; to find the right people for the world is humaneness. It is easy to give the world away, but hard to find the right people to serve it. Confucius said, ‘How great was Yao as a ruler! Heaven alone is great, and Yao modeled himself on it. His greatness was so vast the people could not name it! How lordly was Shun! Sublime in possessing the world without concern for possession!’ Did Yao and Shun govern without applying their hearts? They simply did not apply them to farming.
“I have heard of people using the Xia ways to transform foreigners; I have not heard of people being transformed by foreigners. Chen Liang was born in Chu; he loved the Way of the Duke of Zhou and Confucius and went north to study in the central lands. None of the scholars there surpassed him; he was what we call an outstanding man. You and your brother served him for decades, but as soon as your teacher died you turned your backs on him. When Confucius died, after three years his disciples packed to go home. They came to take leave of Zigong, faced each other, and wept aloud before they parted. Zigong returned to the burial ground, built a hut, and stayed alone another three years before going home. Later Zixia, Zizhang, and Ziyou thought You Ruo resembled the sage and wanted to serve him as they had served Confucius. They pressed Zengzi, but he said, ‘No. Even if you washed him in the Yangtze and Han and dried him under the autumn sun, the Master's brightness would still stand beyond all comparison.’ Now a man of the southern tribes, whose speech sounds like a shrike's, rejects the Way of the former kings; you abandon your teacher to study with him. You differ indeed from Zengzi. I have heard of one rising from a dark valley to a tall tree, but never of one descending from a tall tree into a dark valley. The Hymns of Lu say, ‘He struck back at the Rong and Di, and chastised Jing and Shu.’ The Duke of Zhou opposed them, yet you study one of them: you have chosen a transformation for the worse.”
Chen Xiang said, “If we follow Master Xu's Way, there will be no two prices in the market and no deceit in the state. Even a child five feet tall can visit the market without being cheated. If lengths of cloth and silk are equal, their prices will be alike; if hemp, thread, silk, and floss have equal weight, their prices alike; if quantities of the five grains are equal, their prices alike; if sandals are the same size, their prices alike.”
Mencius said, “Things are unequal by nature: one may be worth twice or five times another, ten or a hundred times, a thousand or ten thousand times. To lump them together and make them equal is to throw the world into disorder. If coarse and fine sandals have the same price, who will make fine ones? Following Master Xu's Way would lead everyone into deceit. How could it govern a state?”

5.5 The Mohist Yi Zhi asked through Xu Bi to meet Mencius. Mencius said, “I have long wanted to meet him, but I am still ill. When I recover, I will go and see him.” Yi Zhi did not come.
On another day he again asked to meet Mencius. Mencius said, “Now I can see him. Unless we speak frankly, the Way will not become clear; let me be frank. I hear Yi Zhi is a Mohist, and the Mohists make simplicity their principle in arranging funerals. Yi Zhi would reform the world by this principle; surely he does not think it wrong or unworthy of esteem. Yet he buried his own parents lavishly. He has served them according to a practice he professes to despise.”
Xu Bi told Yi Zhi.
Yi Zhi said, “The teaching of the classicists says the ancients cared for the people ‘as though protecting a newborn child.’ What does that mean? I believe love has no degrees, though we begin its practice with our parents.”
Xu Bi reported this to Mencius.
Mencius said, “Does Yi Zhi truly believe that a man loves his brother's child no more than a neighbor's newborn? The saying has a particular meaning: a crawling baby about to fall into a well is not to blame. Moreover Heaven gives each creature one root, whereas Yi Zhi gives people two. Long ago there was a man who did not bury his parents. When one died, he carried the body and left it in a ravine. Another day, passing by, he saw foxes eating the body and flies and gnats sucking it. Sweat broke out on his brow, and he glanced away. The sweat was not for others to see; his inward feeling broke through to his face. He returned for tools and covered the body. If it was right to cover it, then a devoted child or humane person surely has a reason to bury a parent.”
Xu Bi told Yi Zhi. Yi Zhi sat silent for a while, then said, “You have instructed me.”

### Book 3B · Duke Wen of Teng, Part Two

6.1 Chen Dai said, “Your refusal to see the lords seems a small point. Meet them just once and you could, at best, make a king; at least, a hegemon. The Records say, ‘Bend one foot to straighten eight.’ Surely that would be worth doing.”
Mencius said, “Once, when Duke Jing of Qi was hunting, he summoned the gamekeeper with a banner. The keeper did not come, and the duke meant to execute him. Confucius said, ‘A man of principle never forgets that he may end in a ditch; a brave man never forgets that he may lose his head.’ What did Confucius admire in the gamekeeper? He did not come when summoned by the wrong signal. What would you make of someone who went without waiting to be summoned at all? Moreover, ‘bending one foot to straighten eight’ is an argument from profit. If profit is our guide, should we not bend eight feet to straighten one, if it pays? Zhao Jianzi once ordered Wang Liang to drive his favorite, Xi, on a hunt. They caught nothing all day. Xi reported, ‘He is the worst charioteer in the world.’ Someone told Wang Liang, who asked for another chance. Xi reluctantly agreed, and in one morning caught ten animals. ‘He is the best charioteer in the world,’ Xi reported. Jianzi said, ‘I shall make him your regular driver.’ But Wang Liang refused. ‘When I drove him according to the rules, we caught nothing all day. When I drove against the rules to bring him face-to-face with game, we caught ten in a morning. The Odes say, “He kept his horses to their course, and when he loosed his arrow, he struck his mark.” I am not accustomed to driving for petty men; let me decline.’ Even a charioteer is ashamed to collude with an archer. Even if such collusion brought game piled high as hills, he would refuse. Why, then, should I bend the Way to suit the lords? You are mistaken: no one who bends himself can make others upright.”

6.2 Jing Chun said, “Are Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi not truly great men? When they grow angry, the lords tremble; when they live quietly, the world rests.”
Mencius said, “How can they be great men? Have you not learned the rites? When a young man receives his cap, his father instructs him; when a woman marries, her mother instructs her and accompanies her to the door, admonishing her, ‘When you enter your new household, be respectful and careful; never disobey your husband.’ To take submission as one's rule is the way of a wife or concubine. Dwell in the world's broadest dwelling; stand in its rightful place; walk its great Way. When you gain your purpose, share the Way with the people; when you fail, follow it alone. Wealth and honor cannot corrupt you, poverty and low rank cannot change you, force and power cannot bend you. That is a truly great man.”

6.3 Zhou Xiao asked, “Did the noble people of antiquity take office?”
“Yes,” said Mencius. “The records say, ‘If Confucius was without a ruler for three months, he grew anxious. When he crossed a border, he always carried an introductory gift.’ Gongming Yi said, ‘In antiquity, if a man went three months without a ruler, people offered him condolences.’”
“Is it not excessive to offer condolences after only three months?”
“For a man of service to lose his position is like a lord losing his state. The Rites say, ‘The lord tills the shared field to provide grain for offerings; his wife raises silkworms and reels silk to make the ritual garments. If the sacrificial animals are inadequate, the grain impure, or the garments incomplete, he dares not offer sacrifice. And a man of service without a field does not sacrifice either.’ If he lacks the animals, vessels, and garments and cannot offer sacrifice, he cannot host a feast. Is that not cause enough for condolences?”
“Why carry an introductory gift when crossing a border?”
“Office is to a man of service what farming is to a farmer. Would a farmer leave his plow and hoe behind when crossing a border?”
“In Jin, too, men take office, yet I have never heard such urgency. If office matters so much, why is it so difficult for a noble person to accept one?”
“When a son is born, his parents wish him to have a wife; when a daughter is born, they wish her to have a husband. All parents feel this. But if the children peer through holes in the wall and climb over it to meet, without their parents' permission or a matchmaker's words, parents and neighbors alike despise them. The ancients certainly wanted office, but they detested taking it by the wrong path. To enter office the wrong way is like creeping through a hole in the wall.”

6.4 Peng Geng asked, “With dozens of carriages following you and hundreds of attendants, you go from lord to lord and receive your food. Is that not excessive?”
Mencius replied, “If the Way does not allow it, one must not take even a basket of food from another person. If the Way allows it, Shun could accept the whole world from Yao without excess. Would you call that excessive?”
“No. But it is wrong for a man of service to eat without doing any work.”
“If you did not exchange the products of different labors, using surpluses to make up shortages, farmers would have grain left over and women cloth left over. When you allow exchange, woodworkers, carpenters, wheelwrights, and carriage-makers can all receive food from you. Here is a man who serves his parents devotedly at home and respects his elders abroad, upholds the Way of the former kings, and awaits students yet to come. Why can he not receive food from you? Why honor carpenters and carriage-makers but slight those who practice humaneness and rightness?”
“The craftsmen work because they seek food. Is seeking food also the aim of a noble person who practices the Way?”
“Why ask about his aim? His work benefits you; if he deserves food, feed him. Do you feed intentions or achievements?”
“Intentions.”
“Suppose a man smashes tiles and scribbles on walls, intending thereby to seek food. Would you feed him?”
“No.”
“Then you feed achievements, not intentions.”

6.5 Wan Zhang asked, “Song is a small state. If it now practices kingly government and Qi and Chu hate this and attack, what should it do?”
Mencius said, “Tang lived at Bo, beside Ge. The lord of Ge was dissolute and neglected his sacrifices. Tang sent someone to ask why. ‘I have no animals to offer,’ he said. Tang sent cattle and sheep, but the lord ate them and still offered no sacrifices. Tang asked again why. ‘I have no grain for the offerings,’ he said. Tang sent people from Bo to cultivate his fields, while their old and young brought them food. The lord of Ge led his men to waylay those carrying food, drink, millet, and rice, seized their provisions, and killed anyone who refused. They killed one boy who was bringing millet and meat and took his food. The Documents say, ‘The lord of Ge made enemies of those bringing food.’ This is what it means. Tang marched against him because he had killed the boy. People within the four seas said, ‘He seeks not to enrich himself with the world, but to avenge an ordinary boy and girl.’ Tang began his campaigns at Ge. After eleven campaigns he had no enemy in the world. When he marched east, the western tribes complained; when south, the northern tribes complained, ‘Why leave us until last?’ The people looked for him as those in drought look for rain. Merchants went on coming to market and farmers continued weeding. He punished rulers and consoled their people, like rain falling at the right season. The people rejoiced. The Documents say, ‘We await our lord; when he comes, we shall suffer no more punishment.’ And: ‘Those who had not been his subjects saw him march east and bring peace to their men and women. They carried black and yellow silks in baskets to greet our Zhou king, saw his blessing, and became subjects of the great city of Zhou.’ The leading people filled baskets with dark and yellow silk to greet his leaders; ordinary people brought baskets of food and jars of drink to welcome his troops. They rescued the people from flood and fire by removing their cruel rulers. The Great Oath says, ‘Our might is displayed as we cross their border, seize their cruel ones, and wield force against them, surpassing even Tang in splendor.’ The question is merely whether Song will practice kingly government. If it does, people within the four seas will look up expectantly, desiring its ruler as their own. However large Qi and Chu may be, what is there to fear?”

6.6 Mencius said to Dai Busheng, “Do you want your king to become good? I shall tell you plainly. If a minister of Chu wanted his son to speak the language of Qi, would he choose a tutor from Qi or Chu?”
“From Qi.”
“If one person from Qi teaches him while a crowd from Chu shouts at him, you could whip him every day and still never make him speak Qi. Take him instead to live for years amid the streets of Zhuang and Yue in Qi, and though you whipped him daily, you could not make him speak Chu. You call Xue Juzhou a good man and have placed him beside the king. If all those near the king, old and young, humble and honored, were like Xue Juzhou, with whom could the king do wrong? If none of them were like him, with whom could the king do right? What can one Xue Juzhou do for the king of Song?”

6.7 Gongsun Chou asked, “What is the principle behind refusing to visit the lords?”
Mencius said, “In antiquity one who was not a ruler's minister did not visit him. Duan Ganmu climbed over a wall to avoid one; Xie Liu shut his gate and refused one entrance. They went too far; under pressure, one may meet a ruler. Yang Huo wanted to meet Confucius but dreaded appearing discourteous. When a minister gives a man of service a gift that cannot be accepted in the recipient's home, the recipient visits the donor's house to thank him. Yang Huo waited until Confucius was away and sent him a roasted pig. Confucius, in turn, waited until Yang Huo was away and went to thank him. If Yang Huo had visited first, how could Confucius have avoided meeting him? Zengzi said, ‘Hunching your shoulders and smiling to flatter someone is more exhausting than working a field in summer.’ Zilu said, ‘To speak with someone you do not agree with, blushing as you watch his face, is something I cannot understand.’ From this you may see what a noble person seeks to cultivate.”

6.8 Dai Yingzhi said, “We cannot yet institute the one-tenth levy and abolish the taxes at border gates and markets. May we reduce them now and wait until next year to abolish them entirely?”
Mencius said, “Suppose a man steals one chicken from his neighbor every day and someone tells him, ‘That is not the conduct of a noble person.’ He replies, ‘Let me reduce it to one chicken a month, and next year I will stop altogether.’ If you know it is wrong, stop at once. Why wait until next year?”

6.9 Gongduzi said, “Outsiders all say you love to argue. May I ask why?”
Mencius said, “How could I love to argue? I have no choice. The world has existed a long time, with periods of order and disorder. In Yao's day the waters flowed backward and flooded the central lands. Serpents and dragons lived there; the people had no settled homes. Those on low ground made nests in trees; those on high ground dug caves. The Documents say, ‘The flooding waters alarmed me.’ These were the great floods. Yao sent Yu to control them. Yu cut channels through the earth to drain the waters into the sea and drove the serpents and dragons into marshes. The waters then flowed in their channels: the Yangtze, Huai, Yellow, and Han rivers. Once dangerous barriers receded and the birds and beasts that preyed on people disappeared, people could live on level ground.
“After Yao and Shun died, the Way of the sages declined. Violent rulers arose, demolished houses to make ornamental ponds, leaving the people without shelter; they abandoned farmland to make gardens and game parks, leaving the people without clothes or food. Perverse teachings and violent deeds appeared. As parks, ponds, and marshes multiplied, beasts returned. In Zhou's time the world was again in great disorder. The Duke of Zhou assisted King Wu, executed Zhou, attacked Yan, and after three years captured its ruler. He drove Feilian to a corner of the sea and killed him. He destroyed fifty states and drove tigers, leopards, rhinoceroses, and elephants far away. The world rejoiced. The Documents say, ‘How brilliant were King Wen's plans! How splendidly King Wu carried on his work! They aided and enlightened us, their descendants, so that all would follow what is right without defect.’
“As the age declined, the Way grew faint, and perverse teachings and violent deeds arose again. Ministers killed their rulers; sons killed their fathers. Confucius was afraid and composed the Spring and Autumn Annals. Composing these Annals was the work of the Son of Heaven. Thus Confucius said, ‘Those who understand me will do so through the Annals; those who condemn me will do so through the Annals.’
“No sage king has arisen. The lords act without restraint and scholars in private life dispute recklessly. The words of Yang Zhu and Mozi fill the world: people belong either to Yang's camp or Mo's. Yang's doctrine of ‘each for himself’ leaves no place for a ruler; Mo's doctrine of universal love leaves no place for a father. To have neither father nor ruler is to be a beast. Gongming Yi said, ‘There is fat meat in the kitchens and fat horses in the stables, while the people look hungry and starving bodies lie in the fields: this is leading beasts to devour human beings.’ Unless Yang and Mo are stopped, Confucius's Way cannot be made clear; their perverse teachings will deceive the people and obstruct humaneness and rightness. When these are obstructed, rulers lead beasts to eat people, and people will eat one another. Fearing this, I defend the Way of the former sages, oppose Yang and Mo, and banish their wild claims, so perverse teachings cannot arise. When they arise in the heart, they harm one's actions; when they arise in actions, they harm government. Were a sage to rise again, he would not change a word of what I say.
“Yu once subdued the floods and brought peace to the world; the Duke of Zhou annexed the lands of the foreign tribes and drove off savage beasts, bringing security to the people; Confucius completed the Annals, frightening rebellious ministers and murderous sons. The Odes say, ‘He struck the Rong and Di and chastised Jing and Shu; none dared withstand us.’ Those without fathers or rulers are the very people the Duke of Zhou opposed. I too wish to set human hearts right, silence perverse teachings, resist deviant conduct, and drive out unbridled claims, continuing the work of the three sages. How could I love to argue? I have no choice. Anyone who speaks against Yang and Mo is a follower of the sages.”

6.10 Kuang Zhang said, “Is Chen Zhongzi not a truly incorruptible man? Living in Wuling, he went three days without food, until his ears could hear nothing and his eyes could see nothing. There was a plum beside a well, more than half eaten by grubs. He crawled to it and ate; after three swallows he could hear and see again.”
Mencius said, “Among the men of Qi, I would certainly call Zhongzi a giant. But how can he be incorruptible? If he carried his principles through to the end, only an earthworm could do so. The worm feeds above on dry earth and drinks below from yellow springs. Was the house Zhongzi inhabited built by Bo Yi, or by the robber Zhi? Was the grain he ate planted by Bo Yi, or by the robber Zhi? We cannot know.”
“What does that matter? He made his own sandals, and his wife spun hemp to exchange for what they needed.”
“Zhongzi comes from a distinguished Qi family. His elder brother Dai received ten thousand measures of grain from Gai. Zhongzi considered his brother's stipend unjust and refused to eat from it; he considered his brother's house unjust and refused to live there. Leaving brother and mother, he settled in Wuling. One day, on visiting home, he found that someone had given his brother a live goose. He frowned and said, ‘What use is that honking thing?’ Later his mother cooked the goose and served it to him. His brother came in and said, ‘That is the honking thing's meat.’ Zhongzi went out and vomited it up. He will not eat food served by his mother, yet eats what his wife gives him; he will not live in his brother's house, yet lives in Wuling. Is he really able to carry his principles through? Only as an earthworm could he do so.”

### Book 4A · Li Lou, Part One

7.1 Mencius said, “Even with Li Lou's keen vision and Master Gongshu's skill, one cannot make squares and circles without compass and square. Even with Shi Kuang's sharp hearing, one cannot tune the five notes without the six pitch-pipes. Even with Yao and Shun's Way, one cannot bring peace and order to the world without humane government. Today there are rulers with humane hearts and humane reputations, yet the people receive no benefit from them and later generations cannot take them as models, because they do not follow the Way of the former kings. Thus it is said: goodness alone is not enough for government; laws alone cannot put themselves into effect. The Odes say, ‘Neither straying nor forgetting, he followed the old statutes.’ No one has ever gone wrong by following the laws of the former kings. The sages exhausted the power of their eyes, then added compass, square, level, and line to make squares, circles, flat surfaces, and straight lines, tools whose uses cannot be exhausted. They exhausted the power of their ears, then added the six pitch-pipes to tune the five notes, whose uses cannot be exhausted. They exhausted the power of their hearts, then established a government that could not bear the suffering of others, and humaneness spread throughout the world. Thus, to build high, one must start from hills; to make a deep place, one must start from rivers and marshes. Can government that ignores the former kings' Way be called wise? Only the humane should hold high office. When an inhumane man does so, he spreads his evil among the people. Those above have no guiding principles, those below no laws to observe; the court distrusts the Way, artisans disregard standards; noble people violate rightness and ordinary people violate the law. If such a state survives, it is by luck. Incomplete walls and few weapons and suits of armor are not its greatest calamity. Uncultivated fields and scant stores of wealth are not its greatest harm. When those above lack ritual propriety and those below lack education, a destructive populace arises, and ruin is close. The Odes say, ‘When Heaven is about to overturn you, do not drift in indifference.’ Indifference means idle chatter. To serve a ruler without rightness, to advance or withdraw without ritual propriety, and to speak disparagingly of the former kings' Way—these are idle chatter. Thus to challenge a ruler with difficult demands is respect; to present the good and bar the wrong is reverence; to say ‘My ruler is incapable’ is to betray him.”

7.2 Mencius said, “Compass and square are the perfection of the circle and square; sages are the perfection of human relationships. If you wish to be a ruler, fulfill the ruler's Way; if a minister, fulfill the minister's Way. Both require only that you take Yao and Shun as your models. If you do not serve your ruler as Shun served Yao, you fail to respect him. If you do not govern your people as Yao governed his, you injure them. Confucius said, ‘There are only two ways: humaneness and its absence.’ If a ruler does grievous violence to his people, he will be killed and his state destroyed. If his violence is less grievous, his life will be endangered and his state diminished. His posthumous name will be ‘the Dark’ or ‘the Cruel,’ and not even devoted descendants in a hundred generations can change it. The Odes say, ‘The mirror for Yin is not distant: it lies in the age of the Xia rulers.’ This is what they mean.”

7.3 Mencius said, “The three dynasties gained the world through humaneness and lost it through inhumanity. The rise and fall, survival and extinction, of states happen in the same way. Without humaneness the Son of Heaven cannot preserve the four seas, a lord cannot preserve his altars of soil and grain, a minister cannot preserve his ancestral temple, and a man of service or commoner cannot preserve his own limbs. To hate death and destruction yet delight in inhumanity is like hating drunkenness while forcing yourself to drink wine.”

7.4 Mencius said, “If you love someone and they do not grow close to you, examine your humaneness. If you govern people and they remain disorderly, examine your wisdom. If you treat someone with ritual propriety and receive no answer, examine your respect. Whenever you do not obtain what you seek, seek the cause in yourself. When your own person is upright, the world turns to you. The Odes say, ‘Always seek to accord with the Mandate and find abundant blessings for yourself.’”

7.5 Mencius said, “People constantly speak of ‘the world, the state, and the family.’ The world's foundation is the state, the state's foundation is the family, and the family's foundation is the individual.”

7.6 Mencius said, “Governing is not difficult: do not offend the great families. What they admire, the whole state will admire; what the whole state admires, the world will admire. Then your teaching in virtue will flow abundantly across the four seas.”

7.7 Mencius said, “When the world has the Way, those with lesser virtue serve those with greater virtue, and the less worthy serve the worthier. When the world lacks the Way, the small serve the great and the weak serve the strong. Both conditions come from Heaven; those who follow Heaven survive, those who oppose it perish. Duke Jing of Qi said, ‘If I cannot command others and will not accept commands, I will cut myself off from all.’ Weeping, he gave his daughter in marriage to Wu. Now a small state imitates a great one yet feels ashamed to accept its orders, like a pupil ashamed to receive instructions from his first teacher. If this shames you, nothing is better than taking King Wen as your teacher. Follow King Wen, and within five years if your state is large, or seven if it is small, you will govern the world. The Odes say, ‘The descendants of Shang numbered beyond counting. When the Lord on High sent his command, they became subjects of Zhou. Subjects of Zhou they became: Heaven's Mandate does not remain fixed. The graceful, able officers of Yin brought libations at the capital.’ Confucius said, ‘Numbers cannot overpower humaneness! Let the ruler of a state love humaneness, and he will have no enemies in the world.’ To seek to be without enemies but reject humaneness is like grasping something burning hot yet refusing to wash your hands. The Odes say, ‘Who can hold something burning without washing his hands?’”

7.8 Mencius said, “Can one reason with the inhumane? They feel safe in danger, find advantage in disaster, and delight in the very things that will destroy them. If one could reason with them, how would states and families ever be ruined? A child sings, ‘When the waters of Canglang are clear, I may wash the strings of my cap; when the waters of Canglang are muddy, I may wash my feet.’ Confucius said, ‘Listen, children! Clear water washes the cap strings, muddy water the feet; the water brings it upon itself.’ A person must first insult himself before others will insult him; a family must first destroy itself before others can destroy it; a state must first attack itself before others attack it. The Great Jia says, ‘Disasters wrought by Heaven may still be escaped; disasters wrought by oneself leave no hope of survival.’ This is what it means.”

7.9 Mencius said, “Jie and Zhou lost the world because they lost their people; they lost their people because they lost their hearts. There is a way to win the world: win the people, and you win the world. There is a way to win the people: win their hearts, and you win the people. There is a way to win their hearts: gather what they desire and give it to them; do not inflict on them what they hate. People turn to humaneness as water runs downhill and beasts run to the wild. Thus the otter drives fish into the deep pool; the hawk drives sparrows into the thicket; Jie and Zhou drove the people toward Tang and King Wu. If a ruler anywhere in the world loved humaneness today, all the other lords would drive their people to him. Even if he wished not to become king, he could not avoid it. One who seeks kingship today resembles a man ill for seven years who searches for mugwort aged three years. If he has not stored it, he will never find it. If a ruler does not set his heart on humaneness, he will live in sorrow and disgrace until he meets destruction. The Odes say, ‘How can they come to good? Together they sink beneath the water.’ This is what they mean.”

7.10 Mencius said, “You cannot speak with those who do violence to themselves; you cannot work with those who abandon themselves. To denounce ritual propriety and rightness in speech is to do violence to yourself; to say ‘I cannot dwell in humaneness and walk in rightness’ is to abandon yourself. Humaneness is humanity's safe dwelling; rightness is its straight road. To leave the safe dwelling empty and refuse to live there, to abandon the straight road and refuse to walk it—how sad!”

7.11 Mencius said, “The Way lies close, yet people seek it far away; the task is easy, yet people seek it in difficulty. Let each person cherish their own parents and respect their own elders, and the world will be at peace.”

7.12 Mencius said, “If you hold a subordinate position and cannot win the trust of those above you, you cannot govern the people. There is a way to win that trust: if your friends do not trust you, neither will your superiors. There is a way to earn your friends' trust: if you do not please your parents in serving them, your friends will not trust you. There is a way to please your parents: if you examine yourself and find no sincerity, you cannot please them. There is a way to make yourself sincere: if you do not understand goodness, you cannot be sincere. Thus sincerity is Heaven's Way; striving for sincerity is humanity's Way. No one has ever been wholly sincere without moving others; no one without sincerity has ever moved others.”

7.13 Mencius said, “Bo Yi fled from Zhou and lived on the northern seacoast. Hearing that King Wen had risen, he said, ‘Why not go to him? I hear the lord of the west cares well for the old.’ Taigong fled from Zhou and lived on the eastern seacoast. Hearing that King Wen had risen, he said the same: ‘Why not go to him? I hear the lord of the west cares well for the old.’ These two elders were the great elders of the world. When they turned to King Wen, the fathers of the world turned to him. If the fathers turn to him, where can their children go? If any lord practices King Wen's government, within seven years he will govern the world.”

7.14 Mencius said, “Ran Qiu served as steward to the Ji family, but could not reform their conduct; instead he doubled their former grain levy. Confucius said, ‘Qiu is no follower of mine. My young disciples may sound the drum and denounce him.’ From this we see that Confucius rejected anyone who enriched a ruler who did not practice humane government. How much more would he reject one who made war more fierce for such a ruler? When states fight for land, the dead fill the fields; when they fight for cities, the dead fill the cities. This is called feeding human flesh to the land. Death alone is not punishment enough for such a crime. The ablest at war deserve the severest punishment, those who forge alliances among the lords the next, and those who clear wasteland to enlarge territories the next.”

7.15 Mencius said, “Nothing in a person is more revealing than the pupils of the eyes: they cannot conceal evil. If the heart is upright, the eyes are clear; if the heart is crooked, the eyes are clouded. Listen to a person's words and look into their eyes: where can they hide?”

7.16 Mencius said, “The respectful do not insult others; the frugal do not rob them. A ruler who insults and robs people fears only that they will fail to obey him. How could he be respectful or frugal? Can respect and frugality be put on with a smiling face and a gentle voice?”

7.17 Chunyu Kun asked, “Is it part of ritual propriety that men and women do not touch hands when giving or receiving things?”
“Yes,” said Mencius.
“If your sister-in-law were drowning, would you pull her out by the hand?”
“Not to pull her out would make one a wolf. That men and women should not touch hands in passing things is ritual propriety; that one should pull a drowning sister-in-law out by the hand is a matter of weighing circumstances.”
“The world is drowning today. Why do you not pull it out?”
“A drowning world must be rescued with the Way; a drowning sister-in-law with one's hand. Would you rescue the world with your hand?”

7.18 Gongsun Chou asked, “Why does a noble person not teach his own son?”
Mencius said, “The circumstances will not allow it. A teacher must teach what is right; if his teaching fails, anger follows. Anger in turn causes injury. The son says, ‘My father teaches me to be upright, yet he himself has not been upright.’ Thus father and son injure each other, and that is a terrible thing. In antiquity people exchanged sons to teach. Father and son should not demand perfection of each other; to do so estranges them, and no misfortune is greater than that estrangement.”

7.19 Mencius said, “Which service is greatest? Serving one's parents. Which guardianship is greatest? Guarding oneself. I have heard of people who kept themselves whole and could serve their parents; I have never heard of anyone who lost himself and could serve them. All things involve service, but serving one's parents is its root; all things require guarding, but guarding oneself is its root. When Zengzi cared for his father Zeng Xi, he always provided wine and meat. Before clearing the table he always asked whom he should give what remained; if asked whether there was anything left, he always said, ‘Yes.’ After Zeng Xi died, Zeng Yuan cared for Zengzi and always provided wine and meat; but before clearing the table he did not ask whom he should give the remainder, and if asked whether anything remained, he said, ‘Nothing,’ because he meant to serve it again. That is nourishing the mouth and body. Zengzi nourished his father's wishes. Serve your parents as Zengzi did, and you do well.”

7.20 Mencius said, “It is not enough to reprimand the ruler's followers or criticize particular policies. Only a great person can correct what is wrong in the ruler's heart. If the ruler is humane, all are humane; if he is righteous, all are righteous; if he is upright, all are upright. Set the ruler right once, and the state is settled.”

7.21 Mencius said, “Some praise comes unexpectedly; some reproach comes despite one's pursuit of perfection.”

7.22 Mencius said, “People speak carelessly because no one holds them to account.”

7.23 Mencius said, “People's failing is their love of playing teacher to others.”

7.24 Yue Zheng accompanied Ziao to Qi. When he visited Mencius, Mencius said, “So you have come to see me?”
“Why do you speak like that, Master?”
“How many days have you been here?”
“Since yesterday.”
“If you arrived yesterday, is my question not fitting?”
“I had not yet settled into my lodging.”
“Have you heard the saying, ‘First settle into your lodging, and only then seek out your elders’?”
“I am at fault,” said Yue Zheng.

7.25 Mencius told Yue Zheng, “You came with Ziao merely to eat and drink. I had not thought you would study the Way of the ancients only to seek food and drink.”

7.26 Mencius said, “There are three ways to be unfilial; the greatest is leaving no descendants. Shun married without telling his parents because he feared leaving no descendants. Noble people regard it as though he had told them.”

7.27 Mencius said, “The substance of humaneness is serving one's parents; the substance of rightness is following one's elder brother. The substance of wisdom is knowing these two and not abandoning them. The substance of ritual propriety is ordering and adorning them. The substance of music is delighting in them; delight springs to life, and once it lives, how could it stop? If it cannot stop, one dances with one's feet and waves one's hands without knowing it.”

7.28 Mencius said, “Only Shun looked on the delight of the whole world and its desire to turn to him as though it were grass or chaff. He knew that without his parents' approval he could not be fully human; without harmony with them he could not be a son. Shun fulfilled every duty toward his father until Gu Sou became joyful. Once Gu Sou was joyful, the world was transformed; once Gu Sou was joyful, the relationship between fathers and sons everywhere was settled. This is called great devotion to parents.”

### Book 4B · Li Lou, Part Two

8.1 Mencius said, “Shun was born in Zhufeng, moved to Fuxia, and died at Mingtiao: he was a man of the eastern tribes. King Wen was born at Qizhou and died at Biying: he was a man of the western tribes. Their homes lay more than a thousand li apart, and more than a thousand years separated their ages. Yet when they attained their aims and put them into practice in the central lands, their ways matched like the two halves of a tally. Sages before and after follow the same principle.”

8.2 When Zichan governed Zheng, he used his own carriage to ferry people across the Zhen and Wei rivers. Mencius said, “He was kind, but did not understand government. Had footbridges been finished in the eleventh month and carriage bridges in the twelfth, the people would not have been troubled by crossing. When a noble person governs fairly, he may even clear the road for his own passage. But how could he ferry every person across? If a governor tries to please everyone individually, there are not enough days in the year.”

8.3 Mencius told King Xuan of Qi, “If a ruler treats ministers as his hands and feet, they treat him as heart and belly. If he treats them as dogs and horses, they treat him like a stranger. If he treats them as dirt and weeds, they treat him as an enemy.”
The king said, “The rites require mourning for a former ruler. What sort of ruler deserves that mourning?”
“When he heeds advice and acts on counsel so that his benefits reach the people, and if a minister must leave, sends someone to guide him to the border and sends word ahead to his destination; when, only if the minister has not returned after three years, he reclaims the minister's land and dwelling—these are the three courtesies. Such a ruler should be mourned. But now a minister's advice is ignored, his words unheard, and no benefits reach the people. If he must leave, the ruler seizes and detains him and pursues him to the place he goes; on the day he leaves, the ruler takes his land and dwelling. That is an enemy. Why would anyone mourn an enemy?”

8.4 Mencius said, “If a ruler kills a man of service who is innocent, his ministers may leave him; if he executes innocent commoners, the men of service may depart.”

8.5 Mencius said, “When a ruler is humane, all are humane; when a ruler is righteous, all are righteous.”

8.6 Mencius said, “A great person will not perform a rite that is not truly ritual propriety, or an act called righteous that is not truly right.”

8.7 Mencius said, “Those who follow the middle Way should nurture those who do not, and the capable should nurture the incapable. That is why people delight in worthy fathers and elder brothers. If the balanced abandoned the unbalanced and the capable the incapable, there would be less than an inch between the worthy and the unworthy.”

8.8 Mencius said, “Only when there are things a person refuses to do can that person accomplish anything.”

8.9 Mencius said, “If you speak of another's faults, how will you deal with what follows?”

8.10 Mencius said, “Confucius never went to extremes.”

8.11 Mencius said, “A great person does not insist on keeping every promise in words or carrying every action through: rightness alone is the guide.”

8.12 Mencius said, “A great person is one who does not lose the heart of a newborn child.”

8.13 Mencius said, “Nourishing parents while they live is not the measure of the great task; sending them to their burial is.”

8.14 Mencius said, “A noble person goes deeply into the Way because he wants to grasp it for himself. Grasp it for yourself and you will dwell in it securely; dwell in it securely and you will draw deeply on it; draw deeply on it and, wherever you turn, you will encounter its source. This is why a noble person seeks to grasp it for himself.”

8.15 Mencius said, “One studies widely and explains in detail in order to return at last to speaking simply.”

8.16 Mencius said, “No one has ever won people over by using his goodness to subdue them. Nourish them through goodness, and only then can you win over the world. No one has ever become king while the world failed to submit in its heart.”

8.17 Mencius said, “Words without substance are inauspicious. The true calamity is that they obscure the worthy.”

8.18 Master Xu asked, “Confucius often exclaimed about water, ‘Water! Water!’ What did he admire in it?”
Mencius replied, “The water of a living spring flows on day and night without stopping. It fills each hollow before moving on, until it reaches the four seas. That is the way of a thing with a source, and that is what he admired. Rain gathered in the seventh and eighth months may fill ditches and channels, but without a living source it dries up almost as you watch. That is why a noble person is ashamed when his reputation exceeds the reality.”

8.19 Mencius said, “What distinguishes human beings from beasts is very slight. Ordinary people cast it away; noble people preserve it. Shun understood the multitude of things and discerned human relationships. He acted out of humaneness and rightness; he did not merely perform humane and righteous acts.”

8.20 Mencius said, “Yu disliked strong wine and loved good counsel. Tang held to the middle and appointed worthy men regardless of where they came from. King Wen saw the people as though they were wounded, and looked toward the Way as though he had not yet seen it. King Wu did not neglect those near him or forget those far away. The Duke of Zhou sought to unite the virtues of the three kings and practice these four things. When something would not fit, he raised his head and pondered it night after day; if he found the answer, he sat waiting for dawn.”

8.21 Mencius said, “When the traces of true kingship disappeared, the Odes fell silent; when the Odes fell silent, the Spring and Autumn Annals arose. The Records of Jin, the Taowu of Chu, and the Annals of Lu were alike. Their subject was the age of Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin; their words came from the historians. Confucius said, ‘The moral judgment, however, I have privately taken as my own.’”

8.22 Mencius said, “The influence of a noble person ends after five generations; the influence of an ordinary person also ends after five. I was never among Confucius's disciples, but I have privately learned his teaching from others.”

8.23 Mencius said, “If you could accept a thing or decline it, accepting harms your integrity. If you could give or withhold it, giving harms your generosity. If you could die or live, dying harms your courage.”

8.24 Feng Meng learned archery from Yi and mastered everything Yi taught. Thinking Yi the only man in the world better than himself, he killed him. Mencius said, “Yi, too, bore some blame.”
Gongming Yi said, “Surely he bore none?”
“Little, perhaps; but how could he bear none? The people of Zheng sent Zizhuo Ruzi to attack Wei, and Wei sent Yugong Zhisi in pursuit. Zizhuo Ruzi said, ‘My illness has seized me today; I cannot hold my bow. I am a dead man!’ He asked his driver, ‘Who is pursuing me?’ ‘Yugong Zhisi.’ ‘Then I will live,’ he said. His driver asked, ‘Yugong Zhisi is a skilled archer of Wei. Why do you say you will live?’ ‘He learned archery from Yingong Zhita, who learned from me. Yingong Zhita is an upright man, and he must have chosen an upright pupil.’ When Yugong Zhisi arrived, he asked, ‘Why are you not holding your bow, Master?’ ‘My illness has seized me today; I cannot hold it.’ ‘I learned archery from Yingong Zhita, who learned it from you. I cannot bear to turn your teaching against you and harm you. But I am on my ruler's business, and cannot neglect it.’ He took arrows, struck them against his carriage wheel to break off their metal heads, shot four of them, and returned.”

8.25 Mencius said, “If the beautiful Xizi were covered in filth, everyone would hold their noses as they passed her. Even an ugly person, after fasting and bathing, may offer sacrifice to the Lord on High.”

8.26 Mencius said, “When people discuss human nature, they speak of its ordinary tendencies. The foundation of those tendencies is what comes naturally. What I dislike in cleverness is its forcing of things. If the clever acted as Yu did in channeling the waters, there would be nothing to dislike. Yu channeled water by following the course where no forcing was needed. If the clever likewise followed what required no forcing, their cleverness would be great indeed. Heaven is high and the stars far away; yet if you seek out their regular courses, you can sit and calculate the winter solstice a thousand years ahead.”

8.27 Gongxingzi lost a son, and the right-hand minister came to offer condolences. On entering the gate, some approached and spoke with the minister, while others went to his seat and spoke there. Mencius did not speak with him. The minister was displeased. “All the noble people speak to me,” he said, “but Mencius alone will not. He slighted me.” Hearing this, Mencius said, “The rites forbid people at court to cross ranks to speak with one another or exchange greetings across the steps. I was following ritual propriety. Is it not strange that Ziao took this for contempt?”

8.28 Mencius said, “What sets a noble person apart is what he keeps in his heart: humaneness and ritual propriety. The humane love others; those with ritual propriety respect others. People generally love those who love them and respect those who respect them. If someone treats a noble person with hostility, he examines himself: ‘Perhaps I have lacked humaneness or ritual propriety. Why else would this happen?’ He finds he has been humane and respectful, but the hostility continues. He examines himself again: ‘Perhaps I have lacked loyalty.’ He finds he has been loyal, but the hostility continues. Then he says, ‘This man is simply deluded. What distinguishes him from a beast? Why be troubled by a beast?’ Thus the noble person has a lifelong concern but no passing worry. Here is his concern: Shun was a man and I am a man; Shun became a model for the world and for ages to come, but I am still no more than a common villager. That is cause for concern. What shall he do about it? Become like Shun. As for passing worries, the noble person has none. He does nothing that lacks humaneness, travels nowhere without ritual propriety. If some sudden trouble arises, he does not fret over it.”

8.29 Yu and Hou Ji lived in an orderly age and passed their homes three times without entering; Confucius praised them. Yan Yuan lived in a disorderly age in a poor lane, with one basket of rice and one gourd of water. Others could not have borne his privation, but Yan Yuan never lost his joy; Confucius praised him too. Mencius said, “Yu, Hou Ji, and Yan Yuan followed the same Way. Yu thought that if anyone in the world drowned, it was as though he himself had drowned that person; Hou Ji thought that if anyone went hungry, it was as though he himself had starved that person. Hence their urgency. If Yu, Hou Ji, and Yan Yuan exchanged places, each would act as the others did. If someone in your own household fights, you may rush to part them even with your hair loose and cap tied on hastily. If neighbors fight, to rush out with loose hair and hastily tied cap would be foolish; you might rightly shut your door.”

8.30 Gongduzi asked, “Everyone in the state calls Kuang Zhang unfilial. Yet you associate with him and treat him with courtesy. Why?”
Mencius said, “The world recognizes five ways of being unfilial: letting one's limbs grow idle and neglecting one's parents' support; gambling and drinking while neglecting their support; loving wealth and putting one's wife and children first while neglecting them; indulging one's senses and bringing disgrace on them; and loving bravado and violent quarrels that endanger them. Has Kuang Zhang done any of these? Zhang and his father reproached each other for failing to do good and became estranged. Urging another to goodness belongs between friends; when father and son make such demands, it gravely wounds their love. Do you think Zhang did not wish to have wife, children, and mother beside him? But because he had offended his father, he dared not remain close to them. He sent away his wife and children and will not accept their care for the rest of his life. He believes that to do otherwise would make his offense still greater. That is all there is to Zhang.”

8.31 Zengzi lived in Wucheng when raiders from Yue came. Someone said, “The raiders are coming. Why not leave?” Zengzi said, “Let no one stay in my house and damage its trees and timber.” When the raiders withdrew, he said, “Repair my walls and roof; I shall return.” When they had gone, he returned. His attendants said, “The people treated you with such loyalty and respect. Yet when the raiders came, you were the first to leave, setting an example for the people, and when they withdrew, you returned. Surely that was wrong.” Shenyou Xing said, “You do not understand. Once when calamity struck my family at Fuchu, seventy followers accompanied the Master, and not one took part in it.”
Zisi lived in Wei when raiders came from Qi. Someone said, “The raiders are coming. Why not leave?” Zisi said, “If I, Ji, leave, who will defend the ruler with him?”
Mencius said, “Zengzi and Zisi followed the same Way. Zengzi was a teacher, like a father or elder brother; Zisi was a minister, of lower rank. Had they exchanged places, each would have acted as the other did.”

8.32 Master Chu said, “The king sent someone to watch you, Master. Are you truly different from other people?”
Mencius replied, “How should I differ from others? Yao and Shun were the same as everyone else.”

8.33 A man of Qi lived with a wife and a concubine. Whenever he went out he returned full of wine and meat. When his wife asked with whom he had dined, he said it was always rich and honored men. She told the concubine, “Whenever our husband goes out he returns full of wine and meat and says he dines with the rich and honored, but no distinguished visitor has ever come here. I shall follow him and see where he goes.” She rose early and trailed him at a distance. All through the city no one stopped to speak to him. At last, outside the eastern walls, he went among the graves and begged leftovers from those offering sacrifices. Still unsatisfied, he looked around for others. That was how he ate his fill. His wife returned and told the concubine, “A husband is the man on whom we depend and look for support all our lives—and this is what ours does!” She and the concubine reviled him and wept together in the courtyard. Knowing nothing of this, the husband came swaggering home from outside and behaved proudly before them. As a noble person sees it, there are few who pursue wealth, honor, and advancement whose wives and concubines would not be ashamed of them and weep together.

### Book 5A · Wan Zhang, Part One

9.1 Wan Zhang asked, “When Shun went out to the fields, he cried aloud to the vast heavens. Why did he weep?”
Mencius said, “From sorrow and longing.”
Wan Zhang said, “If parents love you, you rejoice and never forget them. If they hate you, you work hard without resentment. Was Shun, then, resentful?”
Mencius said, “Chang Xi once asked Gongming Gao, ‘I understand why Shun went to the fields, but why did he cry aloud to Heaven and to his parents?’ Gongming Gao replied, ‘This is beyond your understanding.’ He meant that the heart of a devoted son could not be so indifferent as to say, ‘I plow with all my strength and fulfill a son's duty; what does it matter if my parents do not love me?’ The emperor sent nine sons and two daughters, officials, cattle and sheep, and full granaries to serve Shun as he worked in the fields. Men of service from everywhere came to him, and the emperor meant to transfer the world into his care. Yet because his parents were not pleased with him, he was like a destitute man who had nowhere to turn. To be loved by the men of service is something people desire, but it could not dispel his sorrow. Beauty is something people desire; he married the emperor's two daughters, but it could not dispel his sorrow. Wealth is something people desire; he possessed the wealth of the world, but it could not dispel his sorrow. Rank is something people desire; he held the rank of Son of Heaven, but it could not dispel his sorrow. The love of others, beauty, wealth, and rank were powerless; only his parents' approval could dispel it. When young, people long for their parents. When they discover desire, they long for a young beauty; when they have wives and children, for their families; when they take office, for their rulers, and if the rulers do not favor them, they burn with longing. But one of great devotion longs for his parents his whole life. In great Shun I have seen a man who longed for them even at fifty.”

9.2 Wan Zhang asked, “The Odes say, ‘How does one take a wife? One must tell one's parents.’ If anyone should have followed this, it was Shun. Why did he marry without telling them?”
Mencius said, “Had he told them, he could not have married. The union of man and woman is one of humanity's great relationships. Had he told them, he would have abandoned this relationship and blamed his parents. That is why he did not tell them.”
“I understand why Shun married without telling them. But why did the emperor give his daughters to Shun without telling Shun's parents?”
“He too knew that if he told them, the marriage could not take place.”
Wan Zhang said, “Shun's parents ordered him to repair a granary, withdrew the ladder, and his father Gu Sou set it on fire. They sent him to clean a well; after he escaped, they covered it. His brother Xiang said, ‘The plot to bury our noble brother succeeded because of me! Let father and mother have his cattle, sheep, and granaries. His spears, zither, and bow shall be mine, and his two wives shall tend my bed.’ Xiang went into Shun's house and found Shun playing the zither on his couch. ‘How deeply I have been longing for you!’ he said in embarrassment. Shun said, ‘Come, help me govern my officers and people.’ Could Shun have been unaware that Xiang intended to kill him?”
“How could he be unaware? When Xiang was troubled, Shun was troubled; when Xiang was happy, Shun was happy.”
“Was Shun merely pretending to be happy?”
“No. Once someone gave Zichan of Zheng a live fish. Zichan ordered his pond keeper to rear it in the pond. The keeper cooked and ate it, then reported, ‘When I first released it, it seemed weak; soon it swam freely, then sped away.’ Zichan said, ‘It found its place! It found its place!’ The keeper went out and said, ‘Who calls Zichan wise? I cooked and ate the fish, and he said, “It found its place!”’ A noble person may be deceived by someone appealing to the right feeling, but not duped by something wholly against reason. Xiang approached Shun in the manner of a loving brother; Shun believed him sincerely and rejoiced. How was that a pretense?”

9.3 Wan Zhang asked, “Xiang spent every day plotting to kill Shun. When Shun became Son of Heaven, why did he merely banish him?”
“He granted him a fief,” Mencius replied. “Some call that banishment.”
“Shun exiled Gonggong to Youzhou, sent Huandou to Mount Chong, killed the leader of the Three Miao at Sanwei, and executed Gun at Mount Yu. When these four were punished, the whole world submitted: he had punished the inhumane. Xiang was supremely inhumane, yet Shun gave him Youbi. What wrong had the people of Youbi done? Is this how a humane man acts—punishing strangers but granting a fief to his brother?”
“A humane man does not harbor anger toward his brother or nurse old resentment; he simply cherishes and loves him. Because he cherishes him he wishes him honor; because he loves him he wishes him wealth. Granting him Youbi gave him wealth and honor. If Shun himself had been Son of Heaven while his brother remained an ordinary man, could that be called cherishing and loving him?”
“What, then, does the claim that he banished him mean?”
“Xiang was not allowed to govern his fief. The Son of Heaven sent officials to govern it and collect its tribute, which is why some called it banishment. How could Shun let him brutalize its people? Yet Shun wished to see him often, so Xiang came to him repeatedly. The saying ‘They met through affairs of government even before tribute fell due’ refers to this.”

9.4 Xianqiu Meng asked, “There is a saying, ‘A man of supreme virtue cannot be treated as a subject by his ruler or as a son by his father.’ Shun faced south on the throne, while Yao led the lords facing north to pay court to him; Gu Sou also faced north to pay court. When Shun saw his father, his face showed distress, and Confucius said, ‘At that moment the world was in grave peril!’ Is the story true?”
“No,” said Mencius. “This is not a noble person's account, but the tale of a rustic from eastern Qi. When Yao grew old, Shun acted as regent. The Canon of Yao says, ‘After twenty-eight years, Fangxun passed away. The people mourned him as a father or mother; for three years the four seas stilled the eight kinds of music.’ Confucius said, ‘There are not two suns in Heaven or two kings among the people.’ If Shun were already Son of Heaven and then led all the lords in three years of mourning for Yao, there would have been two Sons of Heaven.”
“I understand that Shun did not make Yao his subject,” said Xianqiu Meng. “But the Odes say, ‘Under the broad sky no land is not the king's; across the reaches of the earth no one is not the king's subject.’ If Shun was Son of Heaven, how could Gu Sou not be his subject?”
“That poem speaks of something else: the speaker was worn out in royal service and unable to support his parents. He said, ‘All these are the king's tasks; why must I alone labor so hard?’ Whoever explains a poem must not let a word damage a sentence, or a sentence obscure its meaning; meet the poet's intent with your own understanding, and you will grasp it. If we insist on literal words, the ode Cloudy Han says, ‘Not one person of Zhou's remaining multitude survived.’ Were that literally true, Zhou would have no people left. The highest devotion to parents is to honor them; the highest honor is to support them with the whole world. To be father of the Son of Heaven is the highest honor; to be supported by the whole world is the highest support. The Odes say, ‘Forever he cherished devotion to parents; his devotion became the rule.’ This is what they mean. The Documents say, ‘Shun went reverently to see Gu Sou, with awe and care; and Gu Sou came to be genuinely kind.’ Does that sound like a father unable to treat his son as a son?”

9.5 Wan Zhang said, “Did Yao give the world to Shun?”
“No,” said Mencius. “The Son of Heaven cannot give the world to another.”
“Then who gave it to Shun?”
“Heaven.”
“Did Heaven command him in plain words?”
“No. Heaven does not speak, but shows its will through conduct and events.”
“How does it do that?”
“The Son of Heaven can recommend someone to Heaven, but cannot make Heaven give him the world. A lord can recommend someone to the Son of Heaven, but cannot make the Son of Heaven grant him a lordship. A minister can recommend someone to his lord, but cannot make the lord grant him a ministry. Yao recommended Shun to Heaven, and Heaven accepted him; he presented him to the people, and they accepted him. So I say Heaven does not speak, but shows its will through conduct and events.”
“How did Heaven and the people accept him?”
“Yao put Shun in charge of sacrifices, and the many spirits enjoyed them: Heaven accepted him. He put Shun in charge of affairs, and they were well governed, while the people lived at peace: the people accepted him. Heaven gave it to him; the people gave it to him. Thus I say the Son of Heaven cannot give the world to another. Shun served Yao as minister for twenty-eight years; no human arrangement could have achieved this—it was Heaven. When Yao died and three years of mourning had ended, Shun withdrew from Yao's son to the south of the southern river. But the lords who came to court went to Shun, not Yao's son; those with lawsuits went to Shun; those who sang songs sang of Shun. That is why I call it Heaven's doing. Only then did Shun go to the central lands and take the place of Son of Heaven. Had he occupied Yao's palace and pressed his son aside, it would have been usurpation, not a gift from Heaven. The Great Oath says, ‘Heaven sees through the eyes of our people; Heaven hears through the ears of our people.’ This is what it means.”

9.6 Wan Zhang asked, “Some say, ‘By Yu's time virtue had declined, for he passed the throne to his son instead of to a worthy man.’ Is that true?”
“No. When Heaven gives it to a worthy man, he receives it; when Heaven gives it to a son, he receives it. Shun recommended Yu to Heaven for seventeen years. When Shun died and three years of mourning had ended, Yu withdrew from Shun's son to Yangcheng. The people of the world followed Yu, just as after Yao's death they followed Shun rather than Yao's son. Yu recommended Yi to Heaven for seven years. When Yu died and three years of mourning had ended, Yi withdrew from Yu's son to the north side of Mount Ji. Those who came to court or brought lawsuits went to Qi, not Yi, saying, ‘He is our ruler's son.’ Those who sang songs sang of Qi, not Yi, saying the same. Danzhu and Shun's son were unworthy; Shun had served Yao and Yu had served Shun for many years, spreading blessings among the people for a long time. Qi was worthy and able to honor and carry on Yu's Way, whereas Yi had served Yu only briefly and had not long benefited the people. The time Shun, Yu, and Yi served, and the worth or unworthiness of their sons, were matters for Heaven, not things human beings could arrange. What happens without human contrivance is Heaven's doing; what comes about without being brought about is the Mandate. An ordinary man can possess the world only if he has virtue like Shun's or Yu's and is recommended by a Son of Heaven; hence Confucius did not possess the world. A hereditary ruler loses the world only if Heaven has rejected him as it rejected Jie and Zhou; hence Yi, Yi Yin, and the Duke of Zhou did not possess it. Yi Yin served Tang as minister and helped him become king of the world. When Tang died, Taiding died before taking the throne; Waibing reigned two years and Zhongren four. Taijia overturned Tang's laws and institutions, so Yi Yin sent him away to Tong for three years. Taijia repented his errors, reproached and reformed himself, lived humanely and turned toward rightness at Tong, listening for three years to Yi Yin's instructions. He then returned to Bo. The Duke of Zhou's not possessing the world was like Yi's in Xia and Yi Yin's in Yin. Confucius said, ‘Tang and Yu passed the throne to worthies; Xia, Yin, and Zhou passed it to descendants. The principle was one and the same.’”

9.7 Wan Zhang asked, “Some say Yi Yin sought an audience with Tang by becoming his cook and preparing his food. Is that true?”
“No,” said Mencius. “Yi Yin cultivated fields in Youxin and delighted in the Way of Yao and Shun. If something was against rightness and the Way, even the world as a stipend would not make him look up, nor would a thousand teams of horses catch his eye. If something was against rightness and the Way, he would neither give nor take even a trifle. Tang sent someone bearing gifts to invite him. Yi Yin said calmly, ‘What need have I of Tang's gifts? Is it not better to remain in my fields, delighting in the Way of Yao and Shun?’ Tang sent invitations three times. Then Yi Yin changed his mind: ‘Rather than remain in the fields and delight in their Way, why not make this ruler a ruler like Yao and Shun, and these people a people like Yao and Shun? Why not witness it with my own eyes? When Heaven brought forth the people, it made those who understood first awaken those who understood later. I am among Heaven's people who awakened first; I shall use this Way to awaken them. If I do not awaken them, who will?’ When he thought of even one man or woman in the world who had not received Yao and Shun's blessing, it felt as though he himself had pushed them into a ditch. Such was the burden of the world he placed upon himself. So he went to Tang and urged him to attack Xia and rescue the people. I have never heard of a man who could bend himself and straighten others, much less disgrace himself to straighten the world. Sages act in different ways: some stay apart, some draw near; some leave, others remain. All come back to keeping themselves pure. I have heard that Yi Yin won Tang over with the Way of Yao and Shun, not with his cooking. The Instructions of Yi say, ‘Heaven's punishment began at the palace of Mu; my work began at Bo.’”

9.8 Wan Zhang asked, “Some say that in Wei Confucius lodged with the surgeon Yongju, and in Qi with the eunuch Jihuan. Is that true?”
“No. Mischief-makers invented it. In Wei he stayed with Yan Chouyou. Mizi's wife and Zilu's wife were sisters. Mizi told Zilu, ‘If Confucius stays with me, he can obtain a ministership in Wei.’ Zilu told Confucius, who said, ‘That rests with the Mandate.’ Confucius advanced through ritual propriety and withdrew through rightness; whether he attained office, he said, ‘That rests with the Mandate.’ To stay with Yongju or the eunuch Jihuan would be to have neither rightness nor trust in the Mandate. When Confucius found no favor in Lu or Wei, he encountered Marshal Huan of Song, who planned to intercept and kill him, and passed through Song in disguise. In that danger he lodged with Sicheng Zhenzi, who became a minister of the lord of Chen, Zhou. I have heard that to judge a ruler's close ministers you look at whom they entertain as guests, and to judge distant ministers you look at whose homes they enter as guests. If Confucius lodged with Yongju and Jihuan, how would he be Confucius?”

9.9 Wan Zhang asked, “Some say Baili Xi sold himself for five sheepskins to a cattle-keeper in Qin and fed the cattle in order to reach Duke Mu of Qin. Is that true?”
“No. Mischief-makers invented it. Baili Xi came from Yu. The men of Jin offered the jade of Chuiji and the horses of Quchan to borrow a road through Yu so that they might attack Guo. Gong Zhiqi remonstrated, but Baili Xi did not: he knew the duke of Yu could not be advised, and left. By the time he reached Qin he was seventy. If he failed to know that feeding cattle to gain Duke Mu's favor was degrading, could he be called wise? He refused to advise a ruler who could not be advised; does that make him unwise? He foresaw the duke of Yu's fall and left first: that was surely wisdom. When called to serve in Qin, he knew Duke Mu was a man with whom he could achieve something and became his minister: was that unwise? He made Qin's ruler renowned throughout the world, with a fame that endured for generations. Could an unworthy man do that? Even a self-respecting villager would not sell himself to advance a ruler's cause. Would a worthy man do so?”

### Book 5B · Wan Zhang, Part Two

10.1 Mencius said, “Bo Yi would not look on an evil sight or listen to an evil sound. He would serve only a worthy ruler and employ only worthy people. When there was order he advanced; when disorder prevailed he withdrew. He could not bear to live where tyrannical government arose or a violent populace gathered. Living among coarse villagers felt to him like sitting in mud and ashes in court cap and court robes. In Zhou's time he lived by the North Sea and waited for the world to become pure. Those who hear of Bo Yi's conduct become upright even if stubborn, and resolve to do good even if weak.
“Yi Yin said, ‘What ruler is unfit to serve? What people are unfit to employ?’ He advanced in times of order and disorder alike. He said, ‘When Heaven brought forth the people, it made those who knew first awaken those who came to know later. I am one of Heaven's people who awakened first; I shall awaken the people with this Way.’ If he thought of a single man or woman who had not received the blessings of Yao and Shun, he felt as though he himself had pushed that person into a ditch. Thus he took the weight of the world upon himself.
“Liuxia Hui was not ashamed to serve an impure ruler or too proud to hold a small office. When he entered office he did not conceal his abilities, but followed his Way. Passed over, he did not resent it; in hardship, he did not grieve. Living among coarse villagers, he felt at ease and could not bear to leave them. ‘You are you, and I am I. Even if you bare your chest and strip naked beside me, how can you defile me?’ Those who hear of his conduct become generous though mean-spirited, steadfast though shallow.
“When Confucius left Qi, he took his rice still draining and set out. When he left Lu, he said, ‘Slowly, slowly I go.’ That was the way to leave the state of one's parents. He left swiftly when swiftness was fitting, stayed when staying was fitting, remained in private life when that was fitting, and held office when that was fitting.”
Mencius said, “Bo Yi was the sage of purity; Yi Yin, the sage of responsibility; Liuxia Hui, the sage of harmony; Confucius, the sage of the proper time. Confucius brought all to completion, like a musical performance begun by sounding a bronze bell and ended with the resonance of a jade chime. The bronze bell establishes the opening order; the jade chime completes it. Establishing the order is the work of wisdom; completing it is the work of sagehood. Wisdom resembles skill; sagehood, strength. An archer shooting from a hundred paces reaches the target through strength; hitting its center requires more than strength.”

10.2 Beigong Qi asked, “How did the Zhou court grade rank and stipends?”
Mencius said, “Its details cannot be recovered. The lords disliked the rules because they limited their power, so they destroyed the records. But I have heard the outline. There were five grades: Son of Heaven, duke, marquis, earl, and viscount or baron at the same grade. Within a state were six grades: ruler, chief minister, minister, senior man of service, middle-ranking man of service, and junior man of service. The Son of Heaven's domain was a thousand li square; those of dukes and marquises a hundred li square, earls seventy, viscounts and barons fifty: four sizes of domain. A domain under fifty li could not approach the Son of Heaven directly but was attached to a lord, and called a dependent domain. A chief minister of the Son of Heaven received land equivalent to a marquis's; a minister, to an earl's; a senior man of service, to a viscount's or baron's. In a great state, a hundred li square, the ruler's stipend was ten times a chief minister's; a chief minister's four times a minister's; a minister's twice a senior man's; a senior man's twice a middle-ranking man's; a middle-ranking man's twice a junior man's; a junior man's equaled the stipend of a commoner in official service, enough to replace what he could earn by farming. In a middle-sized state, seventy li square, the ruler received ten times the chief minister's stipend, the chief minister three times a minister's, and each successive grade twice the one below, down to the junior man, whose stipend equaled that of an official commoner and replaced his farming income. In a small state, fifty li square, the ruler received ten times a chief minister's stipend, the chief minister twice a minister's, and each successive grade twice the one below, again down to a junior stipend equal to the official commoner's farming income. A farming man held a hundred mu. Properly tended, a superior farmer's field could feed nine people; the next, eight; an average farmer's, seven; the next, six; the lowest, five. Stipends for commoners serving in office were graduated by this scale.”

10.3 Wan Zhang asked, “May I ask about friendship?”
Mencius said, “You must not rely on your age, rank, or powerful brothers in making friends. Friendship is friendship with another's virtue; you cannot bring such advantages into it. Meng Xianzi had a house of a hundred chariots and five friends, including Yue Zhengqiu and Mu Zhong; I have forgotten the other three. When Xianzi befriended them, he left his great house out of consideration. Had those five attached importance to his house, he would not have befriended them. This is true not only of a house of a hundred chariots but even of a small state's ruler. Duke Hui of Fei said, ‘I regard Zisi as my teacher and Yan Ban as my friend; Wang Shun and Chang Xi serve me.’ Nor is it true only of small rulers. Duke Ping of Jin, visiting Hai Tang, entered when told to enter, sat when told to sit, and ate when told to eat. Even if served coarse grain and vegetable soup, he always ate his fill, for he dared not do otherwise. Yet that was the limit of his respect: he did not share Heaven's offices with him, let him govern Heaven's duties, or grant him Heaven's stipend. This was how a man of service honors a worthy man, not how a ruler honors him. Before Shun met the emperor, the emperor housed his son-in-law in a side residence and feasted him; they took turns as host and guest. Thus a Son of Heaven befriended an ordinary man. When a lower-ranking person respects a higher, that is honoring rank; when one above respects one below, that is honoring virtue. Both rest on the same principle.”

10.4 Wan Zhang asked, “What is the spirit of an exchange of gifts?”
“Respect,” said Mencius.
“Why is it called disrespectful to refuse a gift repeatedly?”
“If a person of high standing gives you something and you ask before accepting, ‘Did he acquire it rightly or wrongly?’ that would be disrespectful. So you do not refuse.”
“Could you refuse in your heart, without saying so, because you know he unjustly took it from the people, and decline under another pretext?”
“If he approaches you in accordance with the Way and offers the gift with ritual propriety, even Confucius would accept it.”
Wan Zhang said, “Suppose a man robs people outside the city gate, then approaches you properly and offers you a gift with ritual propriety. Could you accept stolen goods?”
“No. The Announcement to Kang says, ‘Those who kill people and seize their goods recklessly and without fear of death are detested by all the people.’ Such people can be executed without instruction. Yin inherited this law from Xia, and Zhou from Yin without rejecting it; it applies still more strongly today. How could you accept their goods?”
“The lords today take from the people much as robbers do. Yet you say a noble person can accept their gifts if the forms are proper. What do you mean?”
“Do you think that if a true king arose he would put all today's lords to death as robbers, or would he teach them and punish only those who refused to change? To call everyone who takes what is not his a robber is to push a category to its limit as a matter of principle. When Confucius served in Lu, the people competed over the spoils of the hunt, and Confucius competed as well. If even that was permissible, how much more accepting their gifts?”
“Then Confucius did not take office to pursue the Way?”
“He did.”
“Why compete over game if he pursued the Way?”
“Confucius first put the records and ritual vessels for sacrifice in proper order; he would not use game caught in the four quarters as official sacrificial food.”
“Why did he not leave?”
“He was making a beginning. If that beginning offered a chance to practice the Way, he remained; only when he could not put it into practice did he depart. Thus he never remained inactive in one place for a full three years. Confucius took office when he could see a possibility of practicing the Way, when he found a proper reception, or when the ruler publicly supported him. Under Ji Huanzi he saw such a possibility; under Duke Ling of Wei he found a proper reception; under Duke Xiao of Wei he had public support.”

10.5 Mencius said, “One does not take office for relief from poverty, though one may sometimes do so; one does not marry in order to be supported, though marriage may sometimes bring support. If you take office because you are poor, refuse a high position and occupy a low one; refuse wealth and accept little. What office is fitting for someone who refuses status and wealth? Guarding a gate or beating the night watch. Confucius once supervised a grain store and said, ‘All I need do is keep the accounts accurate.’ He once supervised livestock and said, ‘All I need do is see that the cattle and sheep grow healthy.’ To speak as though you held high rank while occupying low rank is a fault. To stand in a ruler's court while your Way goes unpracticed is a disgrace.”

10.6 Wan Zhang asked, “Why may a man of service not depend on the support of a lord?”
Mencius said, “He dares not. It is proper for a lord who has lost his state to find refuge with another lord; it is not proper for a man of service to depend on a lord.”
“If the ruler gives him grain, should he accept?”
“Yes.”
“On what principle?”
“A ruler should provide relief for his common people.”
“Why can he accept relief but not a gift?”
“He dares not accept a gift.”
“Why not?”
“Gatekeepers and night watchmen all receive food from their superiors because they hold regular duties. A person with no regular duty would show disrespect by taking a ruler's gift.”
“If he accepts grain once, may the ruler continue providing it?”
“Duke Mu often asked after Zisi and sent him meat in cooking vessels. Zisi was displeased. Finally he waved the messenger beyond his gate, faced north, bowed low twice, and refused it. ‘Now I know that the ruler feeds me like one of his dogs or horses!’ he said. After that the ruler sent no further gifts. If a ruler delights in a worthy man yet can neither raise him to office nor support him properly, can he truly delight in the worthy?”
“How, then, may a ruler support a noble person?”
“He sends the first gift under his command, and the recipient bows twice and accepts. Thereafter the keeper of the granary regularly sends grain and the cook regularly sends meat without repeating the ruler's command. Zisi felt that repeatedly sending meat in cooking vessels merely made him hurry out to bow again and again, which is not how to support a noble person. Yao sent nine sons to serve Shun, gave him two daughters as wives, and supplied officials, cattle and sheep, and full granaries to support him in the fields, before raising him to a high station. That is how a king honors the worthy.”

10.7 Wan Zhang asked, “Why do you refuse to visit the lords?”
Mencius said, “Those living in a state without office are called commoners of the market and wells; those outside the city, commoners of the grass and wilds. Neither has presented an introductory gift and become a minister. Ritual propriety forbids such commoners to seek an audience with a lord.”
“If a lord calls a commoner to labor, he goes. Why not go if the lord summons him for a meeting?”
“To go to work is right; to go for the audience is not. Why does the ruler wish to see him?”
“For his wide learning or his virtue.”
“If for his learning, not even the Son of Heaven summons his own teacher, much less a lord. If for his virtue, I have never heard of a ruler summoning a worthy man he wanted to see. Duke Mu often visited Zisi and asked, ‘In antiquity, a ruler of a thousand chariots befriended a man of service. What do you think?’ Zisi was displeased. ‘The ancients said that a ruler should serve such a man. Did they say he should befriend him?’ What did Zisi mean? ‘By rank, you are ruler and I am subject: how would I dare claim your friendship? By virtue, you should serve me: how could we call ourselves friends?’ A ruler of a thousand chariots could not obtain him even as a friend. How, then, could he summon him? When Duke Jing of Qi was hunting, he summoned a gamekeeper with a banner; when the man did not come, he planned to execute him. Confucius praised a man of principle who did not forget he might end in a ditch, and a courageous man who did not forget he might lose his head. What did Confucius admire? The keeper would not come when summoned by the wrong sign.”
“What sign should summon a gamekeeper?”
“A leather cap. A commoner is summoned with a pennant, a man of service with a flag, a minister with a banner. If summoned by a minister's banner, the gamekeeper dared not come even on pain of death; if summoned by a man's flag, how would a commoner dare come? Still less should a worthy person obey a summons meant for an unworthy person. To wish to see a worthy man without approaching him properly is like wishing him to enter while closing the door. Rightness is the road; ritual propriety is the gate. Only the noble person can walk that road and pass through that gate. The Odes say, ‘Zhou's road is level as a whetstone, straight as an arrow; the noble person walks it, the common people behold it.’”
“Confucius went without waiting for his carriage to be harnessed when his ruler summoned him. Was he wrong?”
“Confucius then held office, and the ruler summoned him in his official capacity.”

10.8 Mencius told Wan Zhang, “A good man of a village befriends the good men of his village; a good man of a state, the good men of his state; a good man of the world, the good men of the world. If friendship with the world's good men is not enough, he considers the people of antiquity. Can you recite their poems and read their books without knowing what kind of people they were? Thus you study their age. That is making friends with the ancients.”

10.9 King Xuan of Qi asked about ministers. Mencius said, “What sort of ministers does Your Majesty mean?”
“Are there different sorts?”
“Yes: ministers of the ruler's own family and ministers of other families.”
“Tell me about ministers of my own family.”
“If the ruler makes a great mistake, they remonstrate. If, after repeated admonitions, he will not listen, they replace him.”
The king's face changed with anger.
“Do not be startled, Your Majesty. You asked, and I dared not give anything but a truthful answer.”
When the king's face had settled, he asked about ministers of other families.
“When the ruler makes a mistake, they remonstrate. If, after repeated admonitions, he will not listen, they leave.”

### Book 6A · Gaozi, Part One

11.1 Gaozi said, “Human nature is like willow wood; rightness is like a cup or bowl. To make humaneness and rightness out of human nature is like making cups and bowls out of willow.”
Mencius said, “Can you make cups and bowls by following the willow's natural growth? Or must you cut and injure the willow to make them? If you must injure the willow to make cups and bowls, will you also injure people to make them humane and righteous? Your words will surely lead the world to bring harm upon humaneness and rightness.”

11.2 Gaozi said, “Human nature is like rushing water. Open a channel east, and it flows east; open one west, and it flows west. Human nature is no more divided between good and bad than water is divided between east and west.”
Mencius said, “Water may indeed be indifferent to east and west, but is it indifferent to up and down? The goodness of human nature is like water's flow downward. No person lacks goodness, just as no water fails to flow down. Strike water and send it splashing, and it may leap above your forehead; force it through a channel and it may reach a mountaintop. Is that its nature? It happens because of the force applied. When people can be made to do wrong, their nature is likewise forced.”

11.3 Gaozi said, “What is inborn is called nature.”
Mencius asked, “Do you mean that ‘inborn’ means ‘nature’ in the same way that ‘white’ means ‘white’?”
“Yes.”
“Is the whiteness of a white feather the same as that of white snow, and that of white snow the same as that of white jade?”
“Yes.”
“Then is a dog's nature the same as an ox's, and an ox's the same as a human being's?”

11.4 Gaozi said, “Food and sexual desire belong to nature. Humaneness is within us, not outside; rightness is outside, not within.”
Mencius asked, “Why do you say humaneness is within and rightness outside?”
“An elder is old, and I treat him as an elder. His age does not reside in me. So if someone is white, I treat him as white, following his whiteness outside me. Thus I call it external.”
“That is different. The whiteness of a white horse does not differ from the whiteness of a white person. But is honoring an old horse the same as honoring an old person? Moreover, is rightness found in the elder, or in the one who honors him?”
“I love my younger brother but not the younger brother of a man from Qin: love is guided by what pleases me, so I call it internal. I honor an elder of Chu just as I honor one of my own family: honor follows their age, so I call it external.”
“Enjoying roast meat from Qin is no different from enjoying our own roast meat. Some things do work that way. Is our enjoyment of roasted meat external too?”

11.5 Meng Jizi asked Gongduzi, “Why do you call rightness internal?”
“Because the respect I practice is mine.”
“If a villager is a year older than your eldest brother, whom do you respect?”
“My brother.”
“Whom would you serve wine first?”
“The villager.”
“Your respect is here, but you treat the elder as there. Surely rightness comes from outside, not within.”
Gongduzi could not answer and told Mencius.
Mencius said, “Ask him, ‘Whom do you respect more, your uncle or your younger brother?’ He will say, ‘My uncle.’ Ask, ‘If your brother acts as the ritual representative of an ancestor, whom do you respect?’ He will say, ‘My brother.’ Ask, ‘Where has your respect for your uncle gone?’ He will answer, ‘My brother holds the appointed place.’ You can say the same: your ordinary respect is for your brother; your momentary respect is for the villager because he occupies the fitting place.”
Hearing this, Meng Jizi said, “At one moment you respect the uncle, at another the younger brother. Surely it is external, not internal.”
Gongduzi replied, “In winter you drink warm water, in summer cold water. Does that make drinking external too?”

11.6 Gongduzi said, “Gaozi says, ‘Nature is neither good nor bad.’ Others say it can become either good or bad: thus when King Wen and King Wu arose, people loved goodness, but when the Dark and Cruel Kings arose, people loved violence. Others say some natures are good, others bad: Yao ruled yet Xiang existed, Gu Sou was father to Shun, and Zhou was cousin and ruler to Weizi Qi and Prince Bigan. You say nature is good. Are all these others wrong?”
Mencius said, “As for its natural tendencies, human nature can be good: this is what I mean by calling it good. When people do wrong, the fault is not in their natural capacities. Everyone has a heart of compassion, a heart of shame and aversion, a heart of respect and reverence, and a heart that knows right from wrong. Compassion is humaneness; shame and aversion are rightness; respect and reverence are ritual propriety; knowing right from wrong is wisdom. Humaneness, rightness, ritual propriety, and wisdom are not cast into us from outside: we already possess them, but do not reflect on them. Thus it is said, ‘Seek and you will find them; abandon them and you will lose them.’ Some surpass others twofold, fivefold, or beyond all reckoning because the others do not fulfill their capacities. The Odes say, ‘Heaven brought forth the teeming people; every thing has its rule. The people hold to their enduring nature and love this splendid virtue.’ Confucius said, ‘The author of this ode understood the Way! Every thing has its rule, and people hold to what is enduring in them; that is why they love splendid virtue.’”

11.7 Mencius said, “In years of plenty young people are usually dependable; in famine years they are often violent. It is not that Heaven endowed them with different capacities, but that circumstances have submerged their hearts. Sow and tend barley in the same soil at the same time, and it grows vigorously, ripening around the summer solstice. If crops differ, it is because the soil varies in richness, rain and dew nourish them differently, or people tend them unequally. Things of the same kind resemble one another. Why doubt this only of human beings? Sages are of the same kind as we are. Longzi said, ‘Even if I do not know a person's feet when I make shoes, I know I am not making baskets.’ Shoes resemble one another because feet throughout the world resemble one another. Human mouths share their tastes: Yi Ya discovered before I did what pleases my mouth. If people's tastes differed by nature, as a dog's or horse's nature differs from mine, why would everyone regard Yi Ya as the standard of taste? Their agreement with Yi Ya shows their mouths are alike. So too with hearing: everyone regards Shi Kuang as the standard of music, showing their ears are alike. So too with sight: all recognize Zidu's beauty; those who cannot see it have no eyes. Thus mouths share a liking for flavors, ears for sounds, and eyes for beauty. Does the heart alone have nothing on which all agree? What do hearts agree upon? Principle and rightness. The sage discovered first what my own heart approves. Principle and rightness delight my heart as meat from grain-fed animals delights my mouth.”

11.8 Mencius said, “The trees on Ox Mountain were once lovely. But the mountain stood near a great city, and axes cut its trees. How could they remain lovely? New shoots grew each night and day, nourished by rain and dew, but cattle and sheep grazed them, leaving the mountain bare. People see it bare and suppose it never had timber. Is that truly the mountain's nature? And is there not a heart of humaneness and rightness within human beings? The way people let go of their good heart is like axes cutting down the trees. If it is cut down each morning, how can it remain lovely? In the renewal of the night and the freshness of dawn, people's loves and aversions come close to others'—but by day their actions fetter and destroy that growth. When this happens again and again, the qi of the night can no longer sustain the heart. Without that qi, a person is not far from a beast. Observers see a beastlike person and think that person never possessed good capacities. Is that truly human nature? Nourish a thing and it will grow; deprive it of nourishment and it will wither. Confucius said, ‘Grasp it and it stays; let it go and it vanishes. It comes and goes without fixed time; no one knows its home.’ Was he not speaking of the heart?”

11.9 Mencius said, “It is no wonder the king is unwise. Take even the easiest plant in the world to grow: expose it to the sun for a day and to frost for ten, and it cannot grow. I see the king rarely; as soon as I withdraw, those who chill him arrive. What can I do with whatever shoots may have grown? Consider the game of go. It is a minor art, but no one masters it without unwavering attention. Yi Qiu is the finest go player in the state. Suppose he teaches two people: one attends to him with a single mind; the other listens, but imagines a swan approaching and thinks of taking up a bow with a corded arrow to shoot it. Though they learn together, the second does not match the first. Is he less intelligent? No.”

11.10 Mencius said, “I desire fish, and I also desire bear's paw. If I cannot have both, I give up the fish and take the bear's paw. I desire life, and I also desire rightness. If I cannot have both, I give up life and choose rightness. Life is something I desire, but there is something I desire more; that is why I will not preserve it by any means whatsoever. Death is something I hate, but there is something I hate more; that is why I will not escape every danger. If people desired nothing more than life, why would they not use every means that could preserve it? If they hated nothing more than death, why would they not do everything to escape danger? Yet there are ways to live that they refuse, and ways to escape peril that they reject. Thus there is something they desire more than life and something they hate more than death. It is not only the worthy who have this heart: all people have it, but the worthy do not lose it.
“A basket of rice and a bowl of soup may mean life to one who receives them and death to one who does not. Offer them with a shout of contempt, and even a traveler on the road refuses; kick them toward a beggar, and even he disdains them. Yet people accept a stipend of ten thousand measures without asking whether it accords with ritual propriety or rightness. What does such a stipend add to me? The beauty of a mansion, provision for wives and concubines, or gratitude from the destitute people I know? Once I would have died rather than accept it; now I accept it for a beautiful mansion. Once I would have died rather than accept it; now I accept it to provide for wives and concubines. Once I would have died rather than accept it; now I accept it to win the gratitude of the destitute I know. Can I not stop? This is called losing one's original heart.”

11.11 Mencius said, “Humaneness is the human heart; rightness is the human road. To abandon the road and not walk it, to let your heart go and not know how to seek it—how sad! If a person's chicken or dog gets loose, he knows to search for it, but if his heart goes astray, he does not. There is no other way to pursue learning than to seek the heart that has gone astray.”

11.12 Mencius said, “Suppose someone's fourth finger is crooked and cannot straighten, though it causes no pain or inconvenience. If someone could straighten it, its owner would think nothing of traveling as far as Qin or Chu, because that finger differs from other people's. He knows to hate a difference in his finger but not a deficiency in his heart. This is failing to distinguish what matters.”

11.13 Mencius said, “If people wish to grow a paulownia or catalpa as thick as their arms, they know how to tend it. Yet when it comes to themselves, they do not know how to tend themselves. Can they love themselves less than those trees? They simply do not reflect.”

11.14 Mencius said, “People cherish every part of their body and, cherishing every part, nourish every part. Not an inch of skin is unloved, so not an inch is left unnourished. To judge whether a person nourishes well or badly, look within that person: there is no other measure. Among the body's parts some are noble, others base; some great, others small. Do not let the small harm the great, or the base harm the noble. One who nourishes the small becomes a petty person; one who nourishes the great becomes a great person. A gardener who abandons his paulownias and catalpas to tend wild jujubes and thorns is a poor gardener. One who tends a single finger but loses shoulder and back without realizing it is a confused man. People despise one wholly devoted to eating and drinking because he nourishes what is small at the expense of the great. But if he lost nothing through it, could the appetites of mouth and belly be regarded as mere inches of skin?”

11.15 Gongduzi asked, “All are equally human, yet some become great people and others petty people. Why?”
Mencius said, “Those who follow their greater part become great; those who follow their lesser part become petty.”
“Why, if all are equally human, do some follow the greater part and others the lesser?”
“The faculties of ears and eyes do not think; things obscure them. When things come into contact with these faculties, they simply draw them along. The heart's faculty is to think; by thinking it gains understanding, and without thinking it does not. Heaven gave this to us. Establish first what is great in yourself, and the lesser part cannot take it away. That alone is how one becomes great.”

11.16 Mencius said, “There are honors bestowed by Heaven and honors bestowed by people. Humaneness, rightness, loyalty, trustworthiness, and delighting in goodness without weariness are Heaven's honors. Dukedoms, ministries, and other high offices are human honors. The ancients cultivated Heaven's honors, and human honors followed. People today cultivate Heaven's honors to seek human honors; once they obtain those, they abandon Heaven's. That is utter confusion. In the end they will surely lose everything.”

11.17 Mencius said, “The desire for honor is common to us all. Everyone possesses something honorable within, but does not reflect on it. What other people honor is not true honor: what Zhao Meng can make honorable he can make contemptible. The Odes say, ‘Drunk with wine and filled with virtue.’ To be filled with humaneness and rightness is to cease desiring another man's rich food; to bear a good name and far-reaching reputation is to cease desiring another man's embroidered robes.”

11.18 Mencius said, “Humaneness overcomes inhumanity as water overcomes fire. Yet people who practice humaneness today are like someone trying to extinguish a cartload of burning wood with a cup of water. When the fire is not put out, they say water cannot overcome fire. They thus give greater support to inhumanity, and in the end they will surely perish.”

11.19 Mencius said, “The five grains are the finest of seeds. But if they fail to ripen, they are not as good as barnyard grass. So too with humaneness: what matters is bringing it to maturity.”

11.20 Mencius said, “When Yi taught archery, he always required students to aim with the bow fully drawn; the students too had to aim for that. When a master craftsman taught others, he always used compass and square; his students too had to use them.”

### Book 6B · Gaozi, Part Two

12.1 A man of Ren asked Wuluzi, “Which matters more, ritual propriety or food?”
“Ritual propriety,” he said.
“Which matters more, desire for a spouse or ritual propriety?”
“Ritual propriety.”
“If observing the rites in eating means starving to death, while ignoring them means eating, would you still insist on the rites? If fetching a bride in person means you cannot marry, while neglecting that rite lets you marry, would you still fetch her?”
Wuluzi could not answer. The next day he went to Zou and told Mencius.
“What is difficult about that?” said Mencius. “Measure only the tips without considering their bases, and a block of wood one inch high can appear taller than a tower. When we say metal is heavier than feathers, we do not mean a single hook of metal is heavier than a wagonload of feathers. Compare a dire need for food with some minor ritual point, and of course food weighs more. Compare the urgent need for a spouse with a minor ritual point, and of course marriage weighs more. Go and ask him, ‘If you can get food only by twisting your elder brother's arm and snatching his meal, will you twist it? If you can get a wife only by climbing your eastern neighbor's wall and embracing his unmarried daughter, will you do that?’”

12.2 Cao Jiao asked, “Is it true anyone can become a Yao or Shun?”
“Yes,” said Mencius.
“I have heard King Wen was ten feet tall and Tang nine. I am more than nine feet four inches tall, yet I do nothing but eat grain. How can I become like them?”
“What has height to do with it? Act, that is all. If a man cannot lift a fledgling bird, we call him weak; if he can lift a hundred jun, we call him strong. If he can lift what the strongman Wuhuo could lift, he is as strong as Wuhuo. Why worry that one is unable? One simply does not act. To walk slowly behind an elder is respect for an elder brother; to hurry ahead of him is disrespect. Is walking slowly beyond anyone's power? It is not inability but refusal. Yao and Shun's Way consists simply in devotion to parents and respect for elder brothers. Dress as Yao dressed, speak as Yao spoke, act as Yao acted, and you will be Yao. Dress, speak, and act as Jie did, and you will be Jie.”
“If I can obtain an audience with the ruler of Zou and borrow lodging here, I should like to stay and study at your gate.”
“The Way is like a great highway. Is it hard to recognize? People's trouble is that they do not seek it. Go home and seek it; you will have teachers enough.”

12.3 Gongsun Chou said, “Gaozi calls the ode Little Cap a poem by a petty man.”
“Why?” asked Mencius.
“Because it expresses resentment.”
“How rigid old Gao is in reading poetry! Suppose a man from Yue drew his bow and shot at you: you could describe the deed lightly, smiling as you spoke, because he is a stranger. If your own brother drew his bow and shot at you, you would speak of it through tears, because he is close to you. The resentment of Little Cap comes from cherishing one's kin. To cherish kin is humaneness. How rigid old Gao is in reading poetry!”
“Why does the ode Gentle Wind express no resentment?”
“Gentle Wind concerns a parent's minor fault; Little Cap a parent's grave fault. To feel no resentment at a grave fault is to become more estranged; to resent a small fault is to be unable to bear even a slight touch. Greater estrangement is unfilial; such hypersensitivity is unfilial too. Confucius said, ‘Shun had devotion to parents at its highest: at fifty he still longed for them.’”

12.4 Song Keng was on his way to Chu when Mencius met him at Shiqiu. “Where are you going, Master?” Mencius asked.
“I hear Qin and Chu are preparing for war. I will meet the king of Chu and persuade him to end it. If he will not listen, I will meet the king of Qin and persuade him. I expect success with one of them.”
“I shall not ask for all the details, but would like to hear your principle. How will you persuade them?”
“I shall tell them war brings no profit.”
“Your purpose is noble, but your argument is wrong. If you persuade the kings of Qin and Chu by profit and they welcome profit as a reason to dismiss their armies, their soldiers will be glad to go home because they welcome profit. Ministers will then serve their rulers with profit in mind, sons their fathers with profit in mind, and younger brothers their elders with profit in mind. Rulers and ministers, fathers and sons, brothers older and younger, will abandon humaneness and rightness and deal with one another in pursuit of profit. No such state has ever escaped destruction. Persuade the kings instead through humaneness and rightness, and if they dismiss their armies from love of these, their soldiers will welcome peace from love of humaneness and rightness. Ministers will then serve their rulers, sons their fathers, and younger brothers their elders with humaneness and rightness in their hearts. All will set profit aside and meet one another in humaneness and rightness. No such ruler has ever failed to become king of the world. Why speak of profit?”

12.5 When Mencius lived in Zou, Ji Ren, acting ruler of Ren, sent him gifts, which he accepted without making a return visit. When he lived in Pinglu, Chu, a minister, also sent him gifts, which he accepted without visiting. Later Mencius traveled from Zou to Ren and visited Ji Ren, but on going from Pinglu to Qi he did not visit Master Chu. Wuluzi was pleased: “At last I have a question to catch him with.”
He asked, “You visited Ji Ren when you traveled to Ren, but did not visit Master Chu when you traveled to Qi. Was it because Chu was a minister?”
“No. The Documents say, ‘In making offerings there are many rites, but if the rites exceed the substance of the gift, it is not an offering, for the giver's purpose is not devoted to it.’ Chu's offering was not complete.” Wuluzi was satisfied. Asked to explain, he said, “Ji Ren could not come to Zou; Master Chu could come to Pinglu.”

12.6 Chunyu Kun said, “Those who put fame and achievement first do so for others; those who put them last act for themselves. You held a place among Qi's three chief ministers, but left before your reputation or achievements had benefited ruler or people. Does a humane man behave so?”
Mencius said, “Bo Yi lived in a low position but would not serve an unworthy ruler. Yi Yin went five times to Tang and five times to Jie. Liuxia Hui felt no shame at serving an impure ruler or holding low office. The ways of these three differed, but they sought the same end: humaneness. The noble person seeks only humaneness. Why must all follow the same path?”
“In Duke Mu of Lu's day Gongyi governed, while Ziliu and Zisi served as ministers, yet Lu lost ever more land. Of what use are worthy men to a state?”
“Yu rejected Baili Xi and perished; Duke Mu of Qin employed him and became hegemon. A state that rejects the worthy will perish; how can it hope merely to lose land?”
“Long ago, when Wang Bao lived beside the Qi River, those west of the Yellow River learned to sing well. When Mian Ju lived at Gaotang, the people of western Qi learned to sing well. The wives of Hua Zhou and Qi Liang mourned their husbands so movingly that they changed a state's customs. What lives within must show itself without. I have never seen a man do such work without results. Therefore there are no worthy men here; if there were, I would surely recognize them.”
“When Confucius served as chief judge in Lu, his advice was ignored. He joined a sacrifice, but when the roasted meat was not sent to him, he departed without even removing his ceremonial cap. Those who did not understand thought he left over meat; those who understood thought he left over disrespect. In fact Confucius wanted a minor offense as the occasion to leave: he would not abandon his post without cause. What a noble person does is not easily understood by the crowd.”

12.7 Mencius said, “The five hegemons offended against the three kings; today's lords offend against the five hegemons; today's ministers offend against today's lords. When the Son of Heaven visited a lord, it was called an inspection tour; when a lord visited the Son of Heaven, it was called reporting on his duties. In spring the ruler inspected the plowing and supplied those in need; in autumn he inspected the harvest and helped those without enough. If on entering a state he found land cleared and fields tended, elders cared for and the worthy respected, and outstanding people in office, he rewarded its lord with land. If he found land lying waste, old people neglected and worthy men dismissed, and extortionists in office, he reprimanded its lord. A lord who missed one audience lost rank; if he missed two, he lost land; if he missed three, the six royal armies moved against him. Thus the Son of Heaven carried out punishment, whereas lords made war without the authority to punish. The five hegemons dragged lords into wars against other lords: that is why they offended against the three kings. Among them Duke Huan was greatest. At the covenant of Kuiqiu, the lords bound the sacrificial victim and set out the written agreement without smearing their lips with blood. Its first command was, ‘Punish the unfilial; do not change the designated heir or raise a concubine to the position of wife.’ Its second was, ‘Honor the worthy and nurture the talented, making virtue illustrious.’ Its third was, ‘Respect the old, cherish the young, and do not neglect guests or travelers.’ Its fourth was, ‘Let no one inherit an office by birth; let no officer occupy several posts; select men of service with care; do not execute ministers without joint judgment.’ Its fifth was, ‘Do not build crooked dikes, obstruct the purchase of grain, or grant fiefs without reporting it.’ The agreement ended, ‘All of us in this covenant, now that we have sworn it, shall return to friendship.’ Today's lords violate all five prohibitions: that is why they offend against the five hegemons. To foster a ruler's evil is a lesser fault; to anticipate and cater to his evil is greater. Today's ministers all cater to their rulers' evil: that is why they offend against today's lords.”

12.8 Lu wanted to make Master Shen its general. Mencius said, “To send untrained people into battle is to bring disaster on them. Anyone who does that would have had no place in the age of Yao and Shun. Even if you won one battle against Qi and gained Nanyang, you must not do it.”
Shen was offended. “This is beyond what I, Huali, understand.”
“Let me explain plainly. The Son of Heaven's domain is a thousand li square: anything less cannot provide for the lords. A lord's domain is a hundred li square: anything less cannot maintain his ancestral temples and their records. When the Duke of Zhou received Lu as a fief, it was a hundred li square. Land was not scarce, but his portion was limited to a hundred li. The Taigong's fief of Qi was also a hundred li square, not because land was scarce but because his portion was limited. Lu now measures five squares of a hundred li. If a true king arose, do you think Lu's land would be reduced or enlarged? Simply to take land from one state to give another is something a humane man would not do. How much less would he kill people to obtain it? A noble person's service to his ruler consists in leading him onto the proper Way and setting his heart on humaneness.”

12.9 Mencius said, “Those who serve rulers today all say, ‘I can enlarge your lands and fill your treasuries.’ Those called good ministers today were called thieves of the people in antiquity. To enrich a ruler who does not face toward the Way or set his heart on humaneness is to enrich Jie. Others say, ‘I can form alliances for you and win every battle.’ Those called good ministers today were thieves of the people in antiquity. To fight fiercely for a ruler who does not face toward the Way or seek humaneness is to aid Jie. Follow today's ways without changing today's customs, and even if the world were handed to such rulers, they could not hold it for a single morning.”

12.10 Bai Gui said, “I want to tax one part in twenty. What do you think?”
Mencius said, “That is the way of the Mo people. In a state of ten thousand households, could one potter serve them all?”
“No. There would not be enough pots.”
“Among the Mo, none of the five grains grow except millet. They have no city walls, palaces, ancestral temples, or sacrificial rites, no gifts of silk and provision of food between lords, and no hundred offices. Thus one part in twenty suffices there. But can we live in the central lands without human relationships and without noble people? If even too few potters make a state impossible, how much more would it suffer with no noble people? One who would tax less than Yao and Shun taught is, to a greater or lesser extent, a Mo; one who would tax more is, to a greater or lesser extent, a Jie.”

12.11 Bai Gui said, “I manage floodwaters better than Yu did.”
“You are mistaken,” Mencius replied. “Yu managed them by following their natural courses and made the four seas their outlet. You make neighboring states your outlet. Water driven backward becomes an inundation; an inundation is a flood, which the humane detest. You are mistaken.”

12.12 Mencius said, “If a noble person is not trustworthy, to what can he hold fast?”

12.13 Lu planned to put Yue Zheng in charge of government. Mencius said, “I heard the news and was so pleased I could not sleep.”
Gongsun Chou asked, “Is Yue Zheng strong?”
“No.”
“Has he far-sighted judgment?”
“No.”
“Has he broad learning?”
“No.”
“Then why were you too pleased to sleep?”
“He loves goodness.”
“Is loving goodness enough?”
“It is more than enough to govern the world, let alone Lu. If a man loves goodness, people from within the four seas will think nothing of traveling a thousand li to tell him what is good. If he does not, people will hear his impatient tone: ‘Enough! I know that already.’ His voice and expression keep others a thousand li away. When men of service are kept at that distance, slanderers, flatterers, and fawners arrive. How could a state be well governed while its ruler lives among such men?”

12.14 Master Chen asked, “Under what conditions did noble people of antiquity accept office?”
Mencius said, “There were three grounds for taking office and three for leaving. If a ruler greeted a man with respect and proper ritual and intended to carry out his counsel, he took office; if, although the ruler still treated him respectfully, his counsel was not carried out, he left. At the next level, he took office when greeted respectfully even if his counsel had not yet been put into effect, and left when that respect declined. At the lowest level, if he had nothing to eat morning or evening and could not leave his house for hunger, and the ruler said, ‘I cannot put his Way into practice or heed his words, but I would be ashamed to let him starve on my land,’ he could accept relief—only enough to escape death.”

12.15 Mencius said, “Shun rose from working in the fields; Fu Yue was raised from building with earth and boards; Jiao Ge rose from among sellers of fish and salt; Guan Yiwu was raised from captivity; Sunshu Ao rose from beside the sea; Baili Xi from the marketplace. Thus when Heaven is about to place a great charge upon a person, it first troubles his heart and will, wearies his bones and muscles, starves his body, impoverishes him, and frustrates his every action. In this way it stirs his heart, toughens his nature, and increases his capacities. People generally make mistakes before they can correct them. Only after their hearts are distressed and their thoughts obstructed do they rise to action; only when distress shows in their faces and breaks out in their voices can others understand them. A state with no law-abiding families and forthright ministers within, and no rival state or outside danger beyond, will generally perish. Then we understand that life springs from hardship and danger, while death springs from comfort and ease.”

12.16 Mencius said, “Teaching takes many forms. When I refuse to consider someone worthy of instruction, that too is a form of teaching.”

### Book 7A · Fulfilling the Heart, Part One

13.1 Mencius said, “To fulfill your heart is to know your nature. To know your nature is to know Heaven. Preserve your heart and nourish your nature: that is how you serve Heaven. Whether you die young or live long, keep a single purpose; cultivate yourself and await what comes. That is how you establish your Mandate.”

13.2 Mencius said, “Nothing lies outside the Mandate, but receive rightly what comes from it. One who understands the Mandate does not stand beneath a crumbling wall. To die after fulfilling one's Way is a rightful death; to die in fetters is not.”

13.3 Mencius said, “‘Seek it and find it; let it go and lose it’: here seeking helps you obtain it, for what you seek lies within you. ‘Seek it rightly, but whether you obtain it rests with the Mandate’: here seeking does not ensure possession, for what you seek lies outside you.”

13.4 Mencius said, “All things are present within me. To examine myself and find sincerity—no joy is greater. To practice empathy with all my strength—no path to humaneness is nearer.”

13.5 Mencius said, “Many people act without understanding, grow accustomed without examining, and follow a path all their lives without knowing its Way.”

13.6 Mencius said, “One cannot be without shame. Be ashamed of your shamelessness, and you will cease to be shameless.”

13.7 Mencius said, “Shame matters greatly to human beings. Those skilled in schemes and tricks have no use for it. If you feel no shame at being inferior to others, how can you become their equal?”

13.8 Mencius said, “The worthy kings of antiquity loved goodness and forgot their power. Worthy men of service did likewise: they delighted in their Way and forgot the power of others. Unless kings and dukes treated them with utmost respect and ritual propriety, they could not see them often. If even frequent meetings were hard to obtain, how could they make such men their ministers?”

13.9 Mencius told Song Goujian, “Do you like to travel among the lords? I shall tell you how. Whether others recognize you or not, remain at ease.”
“How can I remain at ease?”
“Honor virtue and delight in rightness, and you will be at ease. Thus a man of service does not lose rightness when poor or depart from the Way when he prospers. When poor, he keeps rightness and so remains true to himself; when prosperous, he keeps the Way and so the people are not disappointed. In antiquity, those who attained their aims extended blessings to the people; those who did not cultivated themselves as a model for the age. In poverty, perfect yourself alone; in success, bring goodness to the whole world.”

13.10 Mencius said, “Ordinary people wait for a King Wen before they rise to goodness. Outstanding people rise even without one.”

13.11 Mencius said, “Even if someone were given the estates of the houses of Han and Wei, if he still judged himself inadequate, he would far surpass other people.”

13.12 Mencius said, “Employ the people through a Way intended for their ease, and though they labor, they will not resent it. Put people to death through a Way intended to save life, and though they die, they will not resent the one who executed them.”

13.13 Mencius said, “Under a hegemon the people are cheerful and excited; under a true king they live freely at ease. Even when he punishes them with death they do not resent him; even when he benefits them they do not treat it as a favor owed. Day by day they turn toward goodness without knowing who has brought it about. Wherever the noble person passes, people are transformed; wherever he remains, his presence works like a spirit. Above and below he flows together with Heaven and earth. Can this be called a small benefit?”

13.14 Mencius said, “Humane words do not enter people as deeply as the sound of humane conduct. Good government does not win the people as good teaching does. They fear good government; they love good teaching. Good government wins their wealth; good teaching wins their hearts.”

13.15 Mencius said, “What people can do without learning is their innate ability; what they know without reasoning is their innate understanding. Every young child knows to love its parents, and when it grows older, to respect its elder brothers. Loving one's parents is humaneness; respecting elders is rightness. All that remains is to extend these throughout the world.”

13.16 Mencius said, “When Shun lived in the deep mountains, among wood and stone, moving among deer and wild pigs, he differed only slightly from the mountain people. But when he heard a single good word or saw a single good action, he responded like the opening of a river's floodgates: nothing could hold him back.”

13.17 Mencius said, “Do not do what you would reject as wrong. Do not desire what you would reject as wrong. That is all.”

13.18 Mencius said, “Virtuous wisdom and practical insight often arise amid distress and illness. A solitary minister and a disfavored son keep anxious watch over their hearts and consider dangers deeply; thus they attain understanding.”

13.19 Mencius said, “Some men serve rulers and take pleasure merely in pleasing the ruler they serve. Some are ministers who safeguard the state, and take pleasure in its security. Some are citizens of Heaven, who act only when their way can prevail throughout the world. Some are great people, who set themselves right and by doing so set things right around them.”

13.20 Mencius said, “A noble person has three joys, and ruling the world is not among them. That both parents are alive and brothers have met no misfortune is the first joy. To look up without shame before Heaven and look down without shame before people is the second. To find the finest talents in the world and teach them is the third. These are the three joys of a noble person, and ruling the world is not among them.”

13.21 Mencius said, “A noble person desires broad lands and many people, but these are not the source of his joy. He delights in standing at the center of the world and bringing peace to the people of the four seas, but this does not belong to his nature. What does belong to his nature is not increased by success throughout the world or diminished by poverty and obscurity: its portion is fixed. What belongs to his nature is humaneness, rightness, ritual propriety, and wisdom, rooted in his heart. They shine in his face, fill his bearing, and move through all four limbs, so that the limbs make his meaning clear without a word.”

13.22 Mencius said, “Bo Yi fled from Zhou and lived by the North Sea. When he heard King Wen had risen, he said, ‘Why not go to him? I hear the lord of the west cares well for the old.’ Taigong fled from Zhou and lived by the East Sea. He heard the same news and said the same words. When someone anywhere cares well for the old, humane people recognize a home there. If mulberry trees are planted beside the walls of a five-mu homestead and the household wife tends silkworms, the old will have enough silk to wear. Raise five hens and two sows without neglecting their breeding seasons, and the old need never lack meat. If a man cultivates a hundred-mu field, a household of eight can have enough to eat. This is what is meant by the lord of the west's care for the old: he arranged fields and dwellings, taught the people to plant and breed livestock, and guided wives and children to support their elders. At fifty a person needs silk to be warm; at seventy, meat to be full. Without warmth and food, they freeze and starve. Among King Wen's people, none of the old froze or starved. That is what the saying means.”

13.23 Mencius said, “Cultivate the fields well and lighten the levies, and the people can become prosperous. Let them eat at the proper times and use their wealth according to ritual propriety, and their resources will be inexhaustible. People cannot live without water and fire. Yet if a person knocks on someone's door at dusk to ask for water or fire, there is no one who will refuse, because those things are plentiful. A sage governing the world would make beans and grain as plentiful as water and fire. If they were, how could the people lack humaneness?”

13.24 Mencius said, “When Confucius climbed East Mountain, Lu looked small; when he climbed Mount Tai, the world looked small. Once one has seen the sea, other waters are hard to admire; once one has studied at a sage's gate, other words are hard to admire. There is an art to looking at water: watch its waves. The sun and moon have light and illuminate every opening where light can reach. Flowing water never moves forward until it has filled every hollow. A noble person who sets his heart on the Way does not advance until he has brought his learning to its proper form.”

13.25 Mencius said, “One who rises at cockcrow and works tirelessly at goodness follows Shun. One who rises at cockcrow and works tirelessly at profit follows the robber Zhi. To know the difference between Shun and Zhi, look only at goodness and profit.”

13.26 Mencius said, “Yang Zhu chose ‘each for himself’: he would not pluck one hair from his body to benefit the world. Mozi chose ‘universal love’: he would wear himself down from crown to heel to benefit the world. Zimo chose the middle position, which comes closer. But to cling to the middle without weighing circumstances is merely clinging to a single fixed point. I reject such rigidity because it injures the Way: it raises up one thing and discards a hundred.”

13.27 Mencius said, “To the hungry food tastes sweet, and to the thirsty drink tastes sweet, because hunger and thirst have damaged their true sense of taste. Are the mouth and belly alone harmed by hunger and thirst? Human hearts too can be harmed. If one can keep such hunger from harming one's heart, one need not worry about falling short of others.”

13.28 Mencius said, “Liuxia Hui would not have exchanged his integrity even for a place among the three highest ministers.”

13.29 Mencius said, “Working toward a purpose is like digging a well. If you dig nine ren deep without reaching water, you have still abandoned the well.”

13.30 Mencius said, “Yao and Shun embodied it by nature; Tang and King Wu made it their own through effort; the five hegemons borrowed its appearance. Borrow it long enough without returning it, and how can one know it was never theirs?”

13.31 Gongsun Chou said, “Yi Yin said, ‘I will not grow familiar with what is disobedient.’ He sent Taijia away to Tong, and the people rejoiced; when Taijia became worthy, he brought him back, and they rejoiced again. When a worthy minister has an unworthy ruler, may he send the ruler into exile?”
Mencius said, “If he has Yi Yin's purpose, he may. Without it, he is a usurper.”

13.32 Gongsun Chou said, “The Odes say, ‘We do not eat idle bread.’ Why does a noble person eat without plowing?”
Mencius said, “When a noble person lives in a state, if its ruler employs him, the ruler becomes secure, prosperous, honored, and glorious. If its young people follow him, they become devoted to parents, respectful of elders, loyal, and trustworthy. What could better fulfill the words ‘We do not eat idle bread’?”

13.33 Prince Dian asked, “What is the work of a man of service?”
Mencius replied, “To elevate his purpose.”
“What does that mean?”
“Humaneness and rightness, nothing more. To kill a single innocent person is not humane; to take what is not yours is not right. Where should one dwell? In humaneness. What road should one travel? Rightness. Dwell in humaneness and travel the road of rightness: a great person's work is complete.”

13.34 Mencius said, “People believe that Chen Zhongzi would refuse the state of Qi if offered it unjustly. But this is only the rightness of refusing a basket of food and a bowl of soup. Nothing one can do is worse than severing ties with one's family, ruler, ministers, and superiors. How can we trust that he would do the greater thing simply because he does the lesser?”

13.35 Tao Ying asked, “If Shun were Son of Heaven, Gao Yao the chief judge, and Gu Sou committed murder, what should happen?”
“He should simply be arrested,” Mencius said.
“Would Shun not prevent it?”
“How could Shun prevent it? The judge has a charge entrusted to him.”
“What would Shun do, then?”
“Shun would look on abandoning the world as though he were throwing away a worn-out sandal. He would secretly take his father on his back and flee, settle along the coast, and live out his days in joy, forgetting the world.”

13.36 Traveling from Fan to Qi, Mencius saw a prince of Qi in the distance and sighed. “One's dwelling alters one's bearing; one's nourishment alters one's body. How powerful is one's place in life! Is he not the son of human parents, like any of us?”
Mencius said, “A prince's halls, carriage and horses, clothing and robes are much like those of others; yet he carries himself so differently because of his place. How much more does dwelling in the world's broadest dwelling transform a person? Once the ruler of Lu came to Song and called out at the gate of Dieze. The guard said, ‘That is not our ruler, but how like our ruler his voice sounds!’ There was no other reason: they lived in similar stations.”

13.37 Mencius said, “To feed someone without loving him is to treat him as a pig. To love him without respect is to keep him as a tame beast. Reverence and respect must be present even before a gift is offered. A noble person cannot be bound by empty gestures of reverence that have no substance.”

13.38 Mencius said, “Our bodily form and appearance are given by Heaven as part of our nature. Only a sage can fully realize the promise of that form.”

13.39 King Xuan of Qi wanted to shorten the mourning period. Gongsun Chou asked, “Would not mourning for a year be better than stopping altogether?”
Mencius replied, “That is like seeing a man twist his elder brother's arm and telling him only, ‘Do it more gently.’ Teach him devotion to parents and respect for brothers instead.”
A prince whose mother had died asked his tutor to obtain leave for several months of mourning. Gongsun Chou asked, “What about that case?”
“He wishes to complete mourning but cannot obtain permission. Even one extra day is better than none. I was speaking of someone free to mourn who refuses.”

13.40 Mencius said, “A noble person teaches in five ways: transforming someone like timely rain, bringing someone's virtue to completion, developing someone's talents, answering someone's questions, and leaving an example for someone to study privately. These are the five ways.”

13.41 Gongsun Chou said, “The Way is high and beautiful, but it seems like climbing to Heaven—beyond reach. Why not make it seem attainable, so students may work toward it every day?”
Mencius said, “A master craftsman does not discard his plumb line because a worker lacks skill; Yi did not change the measure for drawing a bow because an archer lacked skill. The noble person draws the bow without releasing the arrow: he seems ready to leap. He stands in the middle of the Way, and those able to follow do so.”

13.42 Mencius said, “When the world has the Way, follow the Way with your whole person. When it lacks the Way, give your person for the Way. I have never heard of giving the Way over to serve a person.”

13.43 Gongduzi asked, “Teng Geng was studying with you and seemed entitled to courtesy. Why did you not answer him?”
Mencius said, “I do not answer those who rely on noble rank, their own worth, age, distinguished service, or an old acquaintance when asking questions. Teng Geng relied on two of these.”

13.44 Mencius said, “One who stops where one must not stop will stop anywhere. One who treats those closest to him lightly will treat anyone lightly. Those who advance too sharply retreat just as swiftly.”

13.45 Mencius said, “A noble person cares for other creatures but does not extend humaneness to them as he does to people; he treats the people humanely but not with the intimacy he owes his kin. He cherishes his kin, treats the people humanely, and cares for other creatures.”

13.46 Mencius said, “The wise would know everything, but attend first to the most pressing task. The humane would love everyone, but make closeness to the worthy their first task. Yao and Shun's wisdom did not encompass every thing, because they attended to what came first. Their humaneness did not extend equally to every person, because they made closeness to the worthy their urgent task. To neglect three years of mourning while fussing over the finer points of shorter mourning periods, or to gulp one's food rudely while worrying that one has torn meat with one's teeth—this is failing to know what matters most.”

### Book 7B · Fulfilling the Heart, Part Two

14.1 Mencius said, “How inhumane King Hui of Liang was! A humane man extends his care from those he loves to those he does not love; an inhumane man lets his disregard for those he does not love reach even those he loves.”
Gongsun Chou asked, “What do you mean?”
“King Hui ground down his people in war for land and suffered a great defeat. Desiring to fight again but fearing he could not win, he drove his own beloved sons and younger brothers to die in battle. That is letting his disregard for those he does not love reach those he loves.”

14.2 Mencius said, “The Spring and Autumn Annals record no righteous wars. Some combatants were better than others, but that is all. A punitive campaign is an attack by a superior on an inferior; equal states cannot punish one another.”

14.3 Mencius said, “It is better to have no Documents than to believe all of them. Of the chapter Completion of the War I accept only two or three bamboo slips. A humane man has no enemy in the world. How could blood have flowed so deep that it carried away the pestles when one of supreme humaneness attacked one of supreme inhumanity?”

14.4 Mencius said, “Someone who claims, ‘I know how to arrange armies; I know how to wage war,’ is guilty of a great crime. When a state's ruler loves humaneness, he has no enemy in the world. When he marches south, northern tribes complain; when he marches east, western tribes complain, ‘Why leave us until last?’ King Wu went to attack Yin with three hundred armored chariots and three thousand brave soldiers. He said, ‘Do not be afraid! I come to bring you peace, not to oppose the common people.’ They bent their foreheads to the ground in homage, as though collapsing. A punitive campaign is so called because it sets things right: all wished to set themselves right. What need was there for battle?”

14.5 Mencius said, “Woodworkers, carpenters, wheelwrights, and carriage-makers can give others compass and square, but cannot make them skillful.”

14.6 Mencius said, “When Shun ate dry grain and wild greens, it was as if he would live so forever. When he became Son of Heaven, wore splendid robes, played the zither, and had the emperor's two daughters serving him, it was as if he had always possessed them.”

14.7 Mencius said, “Only now do I understand how grave it is to kill another's parent. Kill a man's father, and he will kill yours; kill his elder brother, and he will kill yours. You might not kill your own family with your own hand, but there is only one step between the two.”

14.8 Mencius said, “In antiquity border gates were established to keep out violence. Today they are used to commit it.”

14.9 Mencius said, “If you do not follow the Way yourself, even your wife and children will not follow it. If you command people without the Way, you cannot even command your wife and children.”

14.10 Mencius said, “One fully provisioned in material goods will not be killed by a year of famine. One fully provisioned in virtue will not be corrupted by a perverse age.”

14.11 Mencius said, “A man who loves renown can give away a state of a thousand chariots. If he is not genuinely that sort of man, however, his face betrays him over a basket of food or a bowl of soup.”

14.12 Mencius said, “Fail to trust the humane and worthy, and your state stands empty. Without ritual propriety and rightness, high and low fall into disorder; without sound administration, there will not be enough resources.”

14.13 Mencius said, “Some have gained a state without humaneness; no one has gained the world without it.”

14.14 Mencius said, “The people matter most; the altars of soil and grain come next; the ruler matters least. Win the people of the villages and you become Son of Heaven; win the Son of Heaven and you become a lord; win a lord and you become a minister. If a lord endangers the altars of soil and grain, replace him. If the sacrificial animals have been prepared, the grain offerings cleansed, and sacrifices made at the proper time, yet droughts and floods continue, replace even the altars of soil and grain.”

14.15 Mencius said, “A sage teaches for a hundred generations: Bo Yi and Liuxia Hui are examples. Hear of Bo Yi's conduct, and even stubborn men become upright, weak men acquire purpose. Hear of Liuxia Hui, and the shallow become steadfast, the mean-spirited generous. They rose a hundred generations ago, yet people who hear of them a hundred generations later are still stirred. Could anyone but a sage accomplish this? How much greater their influence on those who knew them in person!”

14.16 Mencius said, “Humaneness means being truly human. The two taken together are the Way.”

14.17 Mencius said, “When Confucius left Lu he said, ‘Slowly, slowly I go.’ That is how one leaves one's ancestral state. When he left Qi he departed with his rice still draining. That is how one leaves another state.”

14.18 Mencius said, “When the noble person was in distress between Chen and Cai, he had no contacts among those above or those below.”

14.19 Mo Ji said, “I have been much maligned.”
Mencius said, “It does no harm. A man of service attracts many slanderous tongues. The Odes say, ‘My heart is troubled, resented by petty men’: that was Confucius. ‘He did not extinguish their resentment, yet his reputation did not fall’: that was King Wen.”

14.20 Mencius said, “The worthy make others clear-sighted through their own clarity. Now people try to enlighten others while still confused themselves.”

14.21 Mencius told Gaozi, “When a narrow trail in the mountains is used continually, it becomes a path. Leave it unused for a while and grass chokes it. Now grass has choked your heart.”

14.22 Gaozi said, “The music of Yu surpassed that of King Wen.”
“Why do you say so?” asked Mencius.
“Because the knobs of Yu's bells are so worn.”
“How does that prove it? Do the grooves at a city gate come from the force of just two horses?”

14.23 There was famine in Qi. Chen Zhen said, “The people all expect you to petition again for the opening of the stores at Tang. I fear you cannot do that again.”
Mencius said, “That would make me like Feng Fu. This man of Jin was skilled at fighting tigers, but afterward became a good man of service. Once he went into the wild, where a crowd was chasing a tiger. The tiger had backed into a corner, and no one dared approach. When they saw Feng Fu, they ran to greet him. Feng Fu rolled up his sleeves and stepped down from his carriage. The crowd rejoiced, but his fellow men of service laughed at him.”

14.24 Mencius said, “The mouth's taste for flavors, the eyes' for colors, the ears' for sounds, the nose's for scents, and the limbs' for ease belong to nature, but whether these are fulfilled rests with the Mandate; thus a noble person does not call them nature. Humaneness between father and son, rightness between ruler and minister, ritual propriety between host and guest, wisdom among the worthy, and the sage's relation to Heaven's Way depend on the Mandate, yet nature is present in them; thus a noble person does not call them matters of the Mandate.”

14.25 Haosheng Buhai asked, “What kind of man is Yue Zheng?”
“He is a good man and a trustworthy man.”
“What do ‘good’ and ‘trustworthy’ mean?”
“What is worthy of desire is good. Possessing it within oneself is trustworthy. To be filled with it is beautiful. To be filled with it and shine forth is great. To be great and transform others is sagehood. To be a sage whose workings cannot be understood is godlike. Yue Zheng stands at the middle of the first two grades and below the remaining four.”

14.26 Mencius said, “Those who leave Mo's teaching are sure to turn to Yang's; those who leave Yang's turn to the classicists. When they turn to us, simply receive them. People who dispute with Yang and Mo today are like someone pursuing an escaped pig: after it has entered its pen, they still grab at its legs.”

14.27 Mencius said, “There are levies on cloth and thread, grain, and labor. A noble person imposes one and defers the other two. Impose two and people will starve to death; impose all three and fathers and sons will be parted.”

14.28 Mencius said, “A lord has three treasures: land, people, and government. One who treasures pearls and jade will surely bring disaster upon himself.”

14.29 Pen Chengkuo took office in Qi. Mencius said, “Pen Chengkuo will die!”
He was killed, and Mencius's disciples asked, “How did you know?”
“He had a little talent but had never heard the great Way of a noble person. That was enough to bring about his death.”

14.30 When Mencius went to Teng, he lodged in the upper residence. A sandal in the making was left by the window, but the lodging keeper looked for it and could not find it.
Someone asked Mencius, “Are your followers really so prone to stealing?”
“Do you think they came here to steal a sandal?”
“Surely not. But in admitting students, you do not pursue those who depart or refuse those who arrive. If they come with the right heart, you accept them.”

14.31 Mencius said, “Everyone feels something they cannot bear to see happen; extend that feeling to what you now bear, and you have humaneness. Everyone has something they refuse to do; extend that refusal to what you now do, and you have rightness. Fulfill the heart that does not wish to harm others, and your humaneness will be inexhaustible. Fulfill the heart that refuses to break into someone's home, and your rightness will be inexhaustible. If you fulfill your refusal to accept contemptuous forms of address, you will act rightly wherever you go. To speak when you should not is to seek advantage through words; to remain silent when you should speak is to seek advantage through silence. Both are forms of breaking in through another's wall.”

14.32 Mencius said, “Good words speak of what is near but point far away; a good Way holds to what is simple but extends widely. A noble person's words need not reach below his belt to contain the Way. A noble person's discipline perfects himself and brings peace to the world. People's trouble is that they leave their own fields to weed another's: they make heavy demands of others while demanding little of themselves.”

14.33 Mencius said, “Yao and Shun embodied virtue by nature; Tang and King Wu returned to it through effort. To move and turn so that every gesture accords with ritual propriety is virtue at its fullest. One weeps for the dead from grief, not for the living to see; follows the enduring rule of virtue without deviation, not to gain a stipend; and speaks truthfully, not merely to establish a reputation for honesty. The noble person follows what is right and awaits the Mandate.”

14.34 Mencius said, “When persuading powerful men, regard them as small; do not be awed by their grandeur. Halls several ren high, with rafters jutting out several feet—I would not build them if I attained power. Feasts spread across a square zhang, with hundreds of serving women—I would not hold them. Indulgent music, wine, galloping horses and hunts, a thousand carriages following—I would not have these. Everything they possess is something I would refuse. What I possess is the order established by antiquity. Why should I fear them?”

14.35 Mencius said, “Nothing nourishes the heart better than reducing desire. In one who desires little, little of the heart will be lost; in one who desires much, little of it will remain.”

14.36 Zeng Xi loved yang dates, and his son Zengzi could not bear to eat them after his father's death. Gongsun Chou asked, “Which tastes better, sliced roast meat or yang dates?”
“Roast meat, of course.”
“Then why did Zengzi eat roast meat but not yang dates?”
“Roast meat is enjoyed by everyone; yang dates were his father's particular pleasure. That is why one avoids speaking a parent's personal name, but not the family name: the family name is shared, while the personal name is that person's alone.”

14.37 Wan Zhang asked, “When Confucius was in Chen, he said, ‘Why not return? The young men of my group are ambitious and bold, advancing without forgetting their first purpose.’ Why did he think of the impetuous scholars of Lu?”
Mencius said, “Confucius said, ‘If I cannot find companions on the middle Way, I must choose the ardent or the principled. The ardent press forward; the principled refuse certain things.’ Of course Confucius wanted companions on the middle Way, but he could not be sure of finding them, and so thought of the next best.”
“What makes someone ardent?”
“Men such as Qin Zhang, Zeng Xi, and Mu Pi were the ones Confucius called ardent.”
“Why?”
“They had lofty ambitions and were always speaking of ‘the people of antiquity,’ but when one examined their conduct, it did not match their words. If the ardent could not be found, he wanted to associate with men too principled to do anything impure: these were the cautious. They were next in rank. Confucius said, ‘Who can pass my gate without entering my house and cause me no regret? Only the respectable villager. The respectable villager is a thief of virtue.’”
“What is a respectable villager?”
“Such a man says, ‘Why all this lofty talk? His words do not match his actions, his actions do not match his words, yet he cries, “The people of antiquity!” Why walk about so solitary and forlorn? Live in this age and adapt yourself to it: being considered good is enough.’ He quietly flatters the world: that is the respectable villager.”
Wan Zhang said, “The whole village calls him respectable, and wherever he goes he appears respectable. Why does Confucius call him a thief of virtue?”
“One can find no clear act to condemn, no definite fault to reproach. He flows with the vulgar customs and fits himself to a corrupt age. At home he seems loyal and trustworthy, in public upright and pure. The crowd is delighted with him; he thinks himself right, yet he cannot enter the Way of Yao and Shun. That is why he is a thief of virtue. Confucius said, ‘I detest what looks right but is wrong. I detest weeds for fear they will be confused with seedlings; glib speakers for fear they will confuse rightness; clever tongues for fear they will confuse trustworthiness; the music of Zheng for fear it will confuse true music; purple for fear it will confuse vermilion; respectable villagers for fear they will confuse virtue.’ The noble person simply returns to the enduring rule. When the rule is set right, the common people rise to it; when they rise to it, perversity disappears.”

14.38 Mencius said, “From Yao and Shun to Tang was more than five hundred years. Yu and Gao Yao saw them and understood; Tang heard of them and understood. From Tang to King Wen was more than five hundred years. Yi Yin and Lai Zhu saw and understood; King Wen heard and understood. From King Wen to Confucius was more than five hundred years. Taigong Wang and Sanyi Sheng saw and understood; Confucius heard and understood. From Confucius to the present is only a little more than a hundred years. The sage's time is not so distant; we are still so near the place where he lived. If there is no one to carry on his Way now, then there is no one indeed!”

## Translation — Mouseia

> Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the classical Chinese, covering all seven books (fourteen parts) and 260 passages.

### Book 1A · King Hui of Liang, Part One

1.1 Mencius visited King Hui of Liang. The king said, “Elder, you have come a thousand li without thinking the journey too far. Surely you have some way to benefit my state?”
Mencius replied, “King, why speak of benefit? There is only kindness and rightness. If the king says, ‘How can I benefit my state?’ his officials will say, ‘How can I benefit my household?’ and men of service and ordinary people will say, ‘How can I benefit myself?’ When high and low compete for benefit, the state is in danger. In a state with ten thousand war chariots, the household that kills its ruler will have a thousand chariots; in a state with a thousand chariots, the household that kills its ruler will have a hundred. A thousand out of ten thousand, or a hundred out of a thousand, is quite a lot. But if people put rightness last and benefit first, they will not be satisfied until they have taken everything. No kind person has ever abandoned his parents, and no person who does what is right has ever treated his ruler as unimportant. King, speak only of kindness and rightness. Why speak of benefit?”

1.2 Mencius visited King Hui of Liang. The king stood beside a pond and looked at the wild geese and deer. He said, “Do wise people also enjoy things like this?”
Mencius replied, “Only wise people can enjoy them. People who are not wise cannot enjoy them even if they have them. The Book of Songs says, ‘They marked out the Spirit Terrace; they measured and planned it. The people built it and finished it in less than a day. When the work began, there was no hurry, but the people came like children coming to a parent. The king was in the Spirit Park, where the does lay down. The does looked sleek; the white birds looked brilliant. The king was at the Spirit Pond, full of leaping fish.’ King Wen used the people's labor to build the terrace and pond, but they were happy about them. They called his terrace the Spirit Terrace and his pond the Spirit Pond, and enjoyed the deer, fish, and turtles there. People of old enjoyed such things together with their people, and that is why they could enjoy them. The Oath of Tang says, ‘When will this sun perish? I will perish with you.’ If the people want to perish together with their ruler, how could he enjoy his terraces, ponds, birds, and animals all by himself?”

1.3 King Hui of Liang said, “I have done all I can for my state. When there is a famine in Henei, I move its people to Hedong and send grain back to Henei; when there is a famine in Hedong, I do the same. Looking at how neighboring states are governed, I see no ruler who takes as much care as I do. Why do their people not grow fewer and my people not grow more numerous?”
Mencius replied, “You like war, so let me use war as an example. The drums sound loudly, the weapons meet, and some soldiers throw down their armor and flee, dragging their weapons. Some stop after a hundred paces; others after fifty. What would you think of those who ran fifty paces laughing at those who ran a hundred?”
The king said, “They cannot do that. They simply did not go a hundred paces, but they still ran away.”
Mencius said, “If you understand that, do not expect to have more people than the neighboring states. If you do not interrupt the farming season, there will be more grain than people can eat. If closely woven nets are kept out of ponds, there will be more fish and turtles than people can eat. If axes are taken into the forests only at the proper times, there will be more timber than people can use. With enough grain, fish, turtles, and timber, people can support the living and bury the dead without regrets. That is the beginning of the Kingly Way. Plant mulberries on a household plot of five mu, and people of fifty can wear silk. Raise chickens, young pigs, dogs, and hogs at the proper times, and people of seventy can eat meat. Do not take away the farming time for a hundred-mu field, and a family of several will not go hungry. Attend carefully to teaching in the local schools, and teach again the duties of children toward parents and younger siblings toward older ones. Then gray-haired people will not have to carry loads on the roads. When seventy-year-olds wear silk and eat meat and ordinary people are neither hungry nor cold, no ruler has failed to become king over all. Yet dogs and hogs eat human food and you do nothing to stop it; people starve to death on the roads and you do not open your stores. When people die you say, ‘It wasn't me; it was the harvest.’ How is that different from stabbing a person to death and saying, ‘It wasn't me; it was the weapon’? If you do not blame the harvest, the people of the world will come to you.”

1.4 King Hui of Liang said, “I would gladly receive your teaching.”
Mencius replied, “Is there a difference between killing someone with a stick and killing someone with a blade?”
“No difference,” the king said.
“Is there a difference between killing with a blade and killing through government?”
“No difference.”
Mencius said, “There is rich meat in your kitchen and fat horses in your stables, while the people look hungry and there are bodies of people who starved in the fields. This is like leading animals to eat people. People hate it even when animals eat one another. If a ruler, who should care for his people like a parent, governs by leading animals to eat people, how can he be a parent to them? Confucius said, ‘May the person who first made human-shaped burial figures have no descendants!’ He said this because they looked like people and were used in burials. How, then, could anyone let these real people starve to death?”

1.5 King Hui of Liang said, “As you know, no state in the world was stronger than Jin. But during my rule we were defeated by Qi in the east, where my eldest son died; in the west we lost seven hundred li of land to Qin; in the south Chu humiliated us. I am ashamed of this and want to wash away the disgrace for those who died. How can I do it?”
Mencius replied, “Even with a territory only a hundred li square, you could become king over all. If you govern your people with kindness, reduce punishments, lower taxes, and let them plow deeply and weed carefully, the young men will have free days to learn respect for parents and older siblings, loyalty, and trustworthiness. At home they will serve their fathers and older brothers, and outside it their elders and superiors. Then you can have them make sticks and beat the hard armor and sharp weapons of Qin and Chu. Those rulers steal their people's farming time so that they cannot plow and weed to support their parents. Their parents freeze and starve, and their brothers, wives, and children are scattered. They plunge their people into misery. If you go to punish them, who will stand against you? That is why people say, ‘A kind ruler has no enemies.’ Please do not doubt it.”

1.6 Mencius visited King Xiang of Liang. After leaving, he told someone, “From a distance, he did not look like a ruler, and close up, there was nothing about him to inspire respect. Suddenly he asked me, ‘How will the world be brought to peace?’ I answered, ‘By being united under one ruler.’ He asked, ‘Who can unite it?’ I answered, ‘Someone who does not enjoy killing people.’ He asked, ‘Who would support him?’ I answered, ‘Everyone in the world would support him. Do you know what happens to seedlings? When there is drought in the seventh and eighth months, they wither. But when clouds gather thickly and heavy rain falls, they spring up again. Who can hold them back when that happens? Today, among the rulers who shepherd the people of the world, not one does not enjoy killing. If there were one who did not enjoy killing people, all the people in the world would stretch their necks to look for him. If that really happened, people would flock to him like water running downhill in a flood. Who could hold them back?’”

1.7 King Xuan of Qi asked, “Can you tell me about Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin?”
Mencius replied, “Confucius's followers did not talk about the deeds of Huan and Wen. That is why no account of them was handed down to later generations, and I have not heard one. If you do not insist on that, shall we talk about ruling as a true king?”
“What kind of virtue does it take to be a true king?”
“Care for the people, and no one can stop you from being king.”
“Can someone like me care for the people?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“I heard this from Hu He: You were seated in the hall when someone led an ox past it. You saw the ox and asked, ‘Where is that ox going?’ The answer was, ‘We are going to use its blood to consecrate a bell.’ You said, ‘Let it go! I cannot bear to see it trembling like that, as though it were innocent but going to be put to death.’ The man asked, ‘Then should we give up consecrating the bell?’ You said, ‘How could we give it up? Use a sheep instead!’ Did this happen?”
“Yes.”
“That feeling is enough for you to be king. The people all thought you were being stingy, but I knew you could not bear to see the ox suffer.”
The king said, “Yes. Some people really did think that. Though Qi is a small state, why would I begrudge one ox? I used a sheep instead because I could not bear to see the ox trembling like an innocent creature going to its death.”
Mencius said, “Do not be surprised that the people thought you were stingy. You replaced a larger animal with a smaller one; how could they know why? If what troubled you was an innocent creature being led to its death, what difference was there between the ox and the sheep?”
The king laughed. “What was I really feeling? I did not replace it with a sheep because I wanted to save money. No wonder people called me stingy.”
“There is no harm in that. This is a way to practice kindness: you saw the ox but had not seen the sheep. When a noble person sees an animal alive, he cannot bear to see it die; when he hears its cries, he cannot bear to eat its meat. That is why he stays away from the kitchen.”
The king was pleased and said, “The Book of Songs says, ‘Another person has a thought, and I can guess it.’ It must mean you. I did what I did, but when I looked back and tried to find my reason, I could not understand my own heart. Now you have explained it and it feels right to me. Why does this feeling make me fit to be king?”
Mencius said, “Suppose a man told you, ‘I am strong enough to lift a hundred jun, but not a feather; my eyesight can make out the tip of a hair in autumn, but I cannot see a cartload of firewood.’ Would you believe him?”
“No.”
“Then why does your kindness reach animals but its benefits do not reach the people? If a feather is not lifted, it is because the man has not used his strength. If a cartload of firewood is not seen, he has not used his eyesight. If the people are not cared for, it is because you have not used your kindness. So you are not ruling as a true king because you will not do it, not because you cannot.”
“What is the difference between what someone will not do and what he cannot do?”
“If someone said, ‘I cannot carry Mount Tai under my arm and leap over the North Sea,’ he really could not. But if he said, ‘I cannot bend a branch for an elder,’ he simply would not do it; it is not beyond his ability. Your failure to be a true king is not like carrying Mount Tai across the North Sea. It is like bending a branch for an elder. Treat your own elderly relatives with care, then extend that care to other elderly people; treat your own children with care, then extend it to other children. Then governing the world will be as easy as turning your hand over. The Book of Songs says, ‘He set an example for his wife, passed it on to his brothers, and so governed his family and state.’ That means simply taking the same feeling and extending it to others. If you extend your kindness, you can care for everyone within the four seas; if you do not, you cannot even care for your own wife and children. The people of old were far better than others for no other reason than their skill in extending what they already did. Why, then, does your kindness reach animals but its benefits do not reach the people? Weigh something and then you know how heavy it is; measure it and then you know how long it is. This applies to everything, but especially to the heart. Please consider this. Or is it only after raising an army, putting your officers and soldiers in danger, and making enemies of other rulers that you will feel satisfied?”
The king said, “No. How could that satisfy me? I mean to achieve what I most want.”
“May I hear what you most want?”
The king laughed and said nothing.
“Is it because your mouth lacks rich, delicious food, your body lacks light, warm clothes, your eyes lack bright colors to see, your ears lack music to hear, or you lack favored attendants to serve you? Your ministers can provide all those. Surely that cannot be your reason?”
“No, that is not why I do it.”
“Then I know your greatest wish: to expand your territory, make Qin and Chu come to pay court to you, rule the central states, and bring the surrounding peoples under your control. Trying to get that by doing what you do now is like climbing a tree to catch a fish.”
“Is it really that bad?”
“It is worse. Climbing a tree to catch a fish will not get you a fish, but there will be no disaster afterward. If you put all your heart and strength into pursuing your goal by your present methods, disaster will certainly follow.”
“Can you explain?”
“If the people of Zou fought the people of Chu, who would win?”
“Chu would win.”
“So a small state cannot stand against a large one, a few cannot stand against many, and the weak cannot stand against the strong. Within the seas there are nine territories each a thousand li square; Qi has only one of them. Using one to force the other eight into submission is no different from Zou fighting Chu. Instead, go back to the root of the matter. If you now govern kindly, all who want to serve in office will want a place at your court; farmers will want to farm in your fields; merchants will want to store goods in your markets; travelers will want to take your roads; and anyone in the world who resents his ruler will want to come and appeal to you. If that happened, who could stop it?”
The king said, “I am confused and cannot make my way further. I want you to support my intentions and teach me clearly. I may be slow to understand, but please let me try.”
Mencius said, “Only men of service can have steady hearts without a steady livelihood. When ordinary people have no steady livelihood, they have no steady hearts. Without steady hearts, there is nothing they will not do: abandon all restraint, go astray, and commit crimes. To let them fall into crime and then punish them is to set a trap for the people. How could a kind ruler set traps for the people? A wise ruler therefore makes sure his people have a livelihood sufficient to support their parents and provide for their wives and children. In good years they eat their fill, and in bad years they escape death. Only then does he guide them toward good conduct; it is easy for them to follow. But the way livelihoods are arranged today does not give people enough to support their parents or provide for their wives and children. Even in good years they suffer all year, and in bad years they cannot escape death. They fear they will not even be able to save their lives. How could they find the time to attend to proper conduct and rightness? If you want to put this into practice, why not return to the root? Plant mulberry trees on a household plot of five mu, so people of fifty can wear silk. Raise chickens, young pigs, dogs, and hogs at the right times, so people of seventy can eat meat. Do not take away the farming time for a hundred-mu field, so a family of eight will not go hungry. Attend carefully to the teaching in the local schools and teach the duties of children toward parents and younger siblings toward older ones, so gray-haired people will not have to carry loads on the roads. When elderly people wear silk and eat meat, and ordinary people are neither hungry nor cold, no ruler has failed to become king over all.”

### Book 1B · King Hui of Liang, Part Two

2.1 Zhuang Bao visited Mencius and said, “I had an audience with the king, and he told me he liked music. I had no answer for him. What should I say about liking music?”
Mencius said, “If the king greatly enjoys music, Qi may soon be well governed!”
Another day Mencius met the king and asked, “Did you tell Zhuang Bao that you like music?”
The king's expression changed. He said, “I cannot claim to enjoy the music of the ancient kings. I just enjoy popular music.”
“If you greatly enjoy music, Qi may soon be well governed! Today's music serves the same purpose as the music of old.”
“Can you explain that?”
“Which is more enjoyable: enjoying music alone or with others?”
“With others.”
“Which is more enjoyable: sharing it with a few or with many?”
“With many.”
“Let me explain enjoyment to you. Suppose you play music here now. The people hear your bells and drums and the pipes and flutes. They all wince and frown, telling one another, ‘Our king loves to play music, so why does he bring us to this state? Fathers and sons cannot see one another; brothers, wives, and children are separated.’ Suppose you go hunting here now. The people hear your carriages and horses and see your lovely banners with feathers and yak tails. They all wince and frown, telling one another, ‘Our king loves hunting, so why does he bring us to this state? Fathers and sons cannot see one another; brothers, wives, and children are separated.’ This happens simply because you do not share your enjoyment with the people. Now suppose you play music here and the people hear your bells, drums, pipes, and flutes. All of them look happy and tell one another, ‘Perhaps our king is healthy! How else could he be playing music?’ Suppose you go hunting here and the people hear your carriages and horses and see your lovely banners. All of them look happy and tell one another, ‘Perhaps our king is healthy! How else could he be hunting?’ This happens simply because you share your enjoyment with the people. If you share your enjoyment with them now, you will rule as a true king.”

2.2 King Xuan of Qi asked, “Was King Wen's hunting park seventy li square?”
Mencius replied, “That is what the records say.”
“Was it really so large?”
“The people still thought it small.”
“My park is forty li square, and the people still think it large. Why?”
“People gathering fodder and firewood and people hunting pheasants and rabbits could enter King Wen's seventy-li-square park. He shared it with the people. No wonder they thought it small. When I reached your border, I asked about your state's strictest prohibitions before I dared enter. I was told that within the gates on the outskirts there is a park forty li square and that killing a deer there carries the same penalty as killing a person. That makes an area forty li square within the state a trap. No wonder the people think it large.”

2.3 King Xuan of Qi asked, “Is there a right way to deal with neighboring states?”
Mencius replied, “Yes. Only a kind ruler can serve a smaller state while ruling a larger one. That is why Tang served Ge, and King Wen served the Kunyi. Only a wise ruler can serve a larger state while ruling a smaller one. That is why the Great King served the Xunyu, and Goujian served Wu. A large ruler who serves a small state takes pleasure in Heaven's will. A small ruler who serves a large state respects Heaven's power. The one who takes pleasure in Heaven's will keeps the world safe; the one who respects Heaven's power keeps his own state safe. The Book of Songs says, ‘He respected Heaven's power, and so kept it safe.’”
The king said, “Those are great words! But I have a weakness: I like courage.”
Mencius replied, “Please do not favor small displays of courage. Grasping a sword and glaring, saying, ‘How dare he face me?’ is the courage of an ordinary man who can face just one enemy. Please seek something greater. The Book of Songs says, ‘The king grew fiercely angry and ordered his troops to stop the advance against Ju, to strengthen the blessings of Zhou and answer the hopes of the world.’ That was King Wen's courage. His one burst of anger brought peace to the people of the world. The Book of Documents says, ‘Heaven brought forth the people and appointed rulers and teachers for them, saying only that they must help the Lord on High care for the four quarters. Whether a person is guilty or innocent is my concern; who in the world dares defy his will?’ King Wu was ashamed that a single man behaved lawlessly in the world. That was King Wu's courage. His one burst of anger also brought peace to the people of the world. If your anger brought peace to the people today, their only fear would be that you did not like courage enough.”

2.4 King Xuan of Qi met Mencius at the Snow Palace. He asked, “Do wise people enjoy a place like this too?”
Mencius replied, “They do. If people have no chance to enjoy such things, they criticize their ruler. It is wrong for them to criticize their ruler just because they do not have them; it is also wrong for a ruler not to share his enjoyment with the people. When a ruler enjoys what his people enjoy, they enjoy what he enjoys. When he worries about what troubles them, they worry about what troubles him. No one who shares the whole world's pleasures and worries has failed to rule as a true king. Long ago Duke Jing of Qi asked Yanzi, ‘I want to visit Zhuanfu and Chaowu, travel south along the coast, and reach Langye. What should I do to make my trip like those of the ancient kings?’ Yanzi answered, ‘That is a good question! When the Son of Heaven went to the lords, it was called an inspection tour: he inspected what they were charged with guarding. When the lords came to the Son of Heaven, it was called reporting on their duties: they reported what they had done. Neither journey was without work to do. In spring the ruler inspected the plowing and supplied those who lacked seed; in autumn he inspected the harvest and helped those without enough food. A saying from Xia goes, “If our king does not travel, how can we rest? If our king does not make an excursion, how can we get help? His journeys and excursions set the standard for the lords.” Today things are different. An army marches out and consumes the food; hungry people do not get to eat and exhausted people do not get to rest. They glare and complain to one another, and wrongdoing grows among them. Rulers disobey commands and mistreat their people, while food and drink pour out in streams. Their endless outings and wasteful excess become a worry for the other lords. Going downstream and forgetting to return is called drifting; going upstream and forgetting to return is called lingering; hunting without satisfaction is called excess; drinking without satisfaction is called dissipation. The ancient kings had none of the pleasures of drifting and lingering or the conduct of excess and dissipation. Now it is up to you how you act.’ Duke Jing was pleased. He made extensive preparations in the state and camped outside the city. Then he began to open his stores and help those in need. He summoned the chief musician and said, ‘Compose music for me celebrating how ruler and ministers please each other.’ The tunes called the Zheng Shao and Jiao Shao apparently came from this. Their song says, ‘What is wrong with correcting your ruler?’ To correct your ruler is to love him.”

2.5 King Xuan of Qi asked, “Everyone tells me to tear down the Bright Hall. Should I tear it down, or leave it?”
Mencius replied, “The Bright Hall is the hall of a true king. If you want to govern as a true king, do not tear it down.”
“Can you tell me about such government?”
“Long ago, when King Wen governed Qi, farmers paid one part in nine as tax; officials held hereditary stipends; inspectors checked goods at the border and market but charged no taxes; fishing and gathering in the marshes were unrestricted; and a criminal's wife and children were not punished with him. An old man without a wife is called a widower; an old woman without a husband, a widow; an old person without children, alone; and a child without a father, an orphan. These four groups are the world's poorest and most helpless people. When King Wen introduced kind government, he always put them first. The Book of Songs says, ‘The rich do well; I pity these lonely people.’”
“What good words!” the king said.
“If you think they are good, why not act on them?”
“I have a weakness: I like wealth.”
“Long ago Duke Liu liked wealth too. The Book of Songs says, ‘They heaped grain in stores and barns, packed dry provisions into sacks and bags. They thought how to settle and prosper; they strung their bows, took up shields, spears, and axes, and then set out.’ Those staying behind had full barns, and those setting out had packed food. Only then could they set out. If you like wealth, share it with the people. What would prevent you from ruling as a true king?”
“I have a weakness: I like women.”
“Long ago the Great King liked women and loved his wife. The Book of Songs says, ‘In the morning Gugong Danfu rode his horse, following the western riverbank to the foot of Mount Qi; with the woman Jiang he came to look for a place to live.’ At that time there were no unmarried women left bitter at home and no unmarried men left alone outside. If you like women, share the chance for family life with the people. What would prevent you from ruling as a true king?”

2.6 Mencius said to King Xuan of Qi, “Suppose one of your ministers entrusted his wife and children to a friend before traveling to Chu. When he returned, he found them cold and hungry. What should he do?”
“Give up that friendship,” the king said.
“What if the chief judge cannot manage his officers?”
“Dismiss him.”
“What if the land within all four borders is not well governed?”
The king looked at the people beside him and changed the subject.

2.7 Mencius visited King Xuan of Qi and said, “An established state is not one with tall old trees, but one with ministers whose families have served for generations. You have no close ministers now. You promoted men in the past, but today you do not even know when they leave.”
The king asked, “How can I recognize those who are incompetent and dismiss them?”
“When a ruler promotes worthy people, he should do it only after careful thought, because it puts those of low rank above those of high rank and people outside his family above his relatives. How could he fail to take care? If your attendants all call someone worthy, that is not enough. If all your officials call him worthy, that is not enough. Only when all the people of the state call him worthy should you examine him, and appoint him only when you find that he is worthy. If all your attendants say someone is unfit, do not listen. If all your officials say it, do not listen. Only when the people of the state say it should you examine him and dismiss him if you find he is unfit. If all your attendants say someone should be executed, do not listen. If all your officials say so, do not listen. Only when the people of the state say so should you examine his case and execute him if you find he deserves death. That is why it is said, ‘The people of the state put him to death.’ Only by acting this way can you be like a parent to the people.”

2.8 King Xuan of Qi asked, “Did Tang exile Jie and King Wu attack Zhou?”
Mencius replied, “That is what the records say.”
“Is it acceptable for a minister to kill his ruler?”
“Someone who destroys kindness is called a thief. Someone who destroys rightness is called a destroyer. A person who destroys both is called merely ‘one man.’ I have heard of the execution of the one man Zhou, but I have never heard of the murder of a ruler.”

2.9 Mencius visited King Xuan of Qi and said, “If you were building a huge house, you would have your master builder look for large timbers. When he found them you would be pleased, thinking he could do his job. If a carpenter then cut them down to smaller pieces, you would be angry, thinking he could not do his job. Now suppose a man learns something when he is young and wants to put it into practice as an adult, but you say to him, ‘Set aside what you learned and follow my instructions.’ What do you think of that? If there were a piece of uncut jade here, even worth ten thousand yi, you would certainly have a jade worker carve it. Yet when it comes to governing the state, you say, ‘Set aside what you learned and follow my instructions.’ How is that different from telling a jade worker how to carve jade?”

2.10 Qi attacked Yan and won. King Xuan asked, “Some say I should not take it; others say I should. A state with ten thousand war chariots has taken another state with ten thousand war chariots in fifty days. Human strength alone could not do that. If I do not take it, Heaven will surely bring disaster. Should I take it?”
Mencius replied, “Take it if the people of Yan will be glad. King Wu did so in ancient times. Do not take it if the people of Yan will not be glad. King Wen did so in ancient times. When a state with ten thousand chariots attacks another state with ten thousand chariots and the people bring baskets of food and jars of drink to welcome its army, their reason is simply to escape suffering as terrible as flood and fire. If the flood gets deeper and the fire gets hotter, they will just turn to someone else.”

2.11 Qi attacked and took Yan. Other rulers planned to rescue Yan. King Xuan said, “Many rulers are planning to attack me. How should I respond?”
Mencius replied, “I have heard of Tang ruling the world from a territory seventy li square. I have never heard of a ruler with a thousand li of territory being afraid of others. The Book of Documents says, ‘Tang's first campaign began with Ge.’ The world trusted him. When he went east to punish a ruler, the people of the west complained; when he went south, those of the north complained, ‘Why are we last?’ The people longed for him as in a terrible drought they long for clouds and a rainbow. Merchants kept going to market; farmers continued their work. He punished their ruler and comforted his people, like a welcome rain falling. The people were overjoyed. The Book of Documents says, ‘We wait for our lord; when he comes, we will live again.’ Now Yan was cruel to its people. When you went to punish its ruler, they thought you would save them from flood and fire. They welcomed your army with baskets of food and jars of drink. But if you kill their fathers and older brothers, bind their sons and younger brothers, destroy their ancestral temples, and carry off their valued ritual vessels, how could that be right? The world already fears Qi's strength. Now that you have doubled your territory without putting kind government into practice, you will stir up all the world's armies. Issue orders at once: return their old people and children, stop removing their ritual vessels, consult the people of Yan, establish a ruler, and then withdraw. You may still have time to stop the attacks.”

2.12 Zou and Lu fought. Duke Mu asked, “Thirty-three of my officials died, but none of the people died for them. I cannot execute all the people; there are too many. Yet if I do not punish them, they have watched their superiors die and refused to help. What should I do?”
Mencius replied, “In years of famine your old and weak people rolled into the ditches and ravines, and almost a thousand able-bodied people scattered in all directions. Yet your barns were full, your treasuries well stocked, and none of your officials told you about it. Those above neglected their duties and harmed those below. Zengzi said, ‘Take care! What goes out from you comes back to you.’ Now the people have had their chance to repay what was done to them. Do not blame them. If you practice kind government, they will love their superiors and be willing to die for their leaders.”

2.13 Duke Wen of Teng asked, “Teng is a small state caught between Qi and Chu. Should I serve Qi or Chu?”
Mencius replied, “That decision is beyond my ability to plan. If you must have an answer, there is one: dig deep moats and build strong walls, and defend them together with the people. If you are ready to die and the people do not leave you, then this course can work.”

2.14 Duke Wen of Teng asked, “Qi is going to fortify Xue. I am very afraid. What should I do?”
Mencius replied, “Long ago the Great King lived in Bin. When the Di people invaded, he left and settled at the foot of Mount Qi. He did not choose this place because he preferred it; he had no choice. If you do good, one of your descendants will surely become a king. A noble person lays the foundations of a state and hands down a tradition that later people can continue. Whether he succeeds is up to Heaven. What can you do about those people? Just do your utmost to act well.”

2.15 Duke Wen of Teng asked, “Teng is a small state. Even when I do everything I can to serve the great states, I cannot avoid attack. What should I do?”
Mencius replied, “Long ago the Great King lived in Bin, and the Di people invaded. He gave them hides and cloth as tribute but could not avoid attack. He gave them dogs and horses but could not avoid it. He gave them pearls and jade but could not avoid it. So he gathered his elders and said, ‘The Di want our land. I have heard that a noble person does not use the land that supports people as a reason to harm them. Why should you worry that you will have no ruler? I will leave.’ He left Bin, crossed Mount Liang, and founded a settlement at the foot of Mount Qi. The people of Bin said, ‘He is a kind man. We cannot lose him.’ They followed him as eagerly as people going to a market. Others say, ‘The land has been held and defended for generations. One person cannot simply give it up. Defend it to the death; do not leave.’ Please choose between these two ways.”

2.16 Duke Ping of Lu was about to go out. His favorite attendant Zang Cang asked, “On other days when you go out, you tell the officers where you are going. Today your carriage is ready, but they still do not know where you are going. May I ask?”
The duke said, “I am going to see Mencius.”
“Why would you lower yourself to visit an ordinary man first? Do you think he is worthy? Proper conduct and rightness come from worthy men, but Mencius spent more on his later funeral than on the earlier one. Do not visit him!”
“All right,” said the duke.
Yue Zheng entered and asked, “Why did you not see Meng Ke?”
“Someone told me, ‘Mencius spent more on the later funeral than on the earlier one.’ That is why I did not go to see him.”
“What did that person mean by ‘more’? That Mencius performed the first when he was a man of service and the later one when he was an official? That he used three ritual cauldrons for the first and five for the later one?”
“No. He meant the quality of the inner and outer coffins, clothing, and shrouds.”
“That is not what it means to go too far. His means were different when he was poor and when he was rich.”
Yue Zheng visited Mencius and said, “I spoke to the duke, and he was going to come and see you. But his favorite attendant Zang Cang stopped him, so he did not come after all.”
Mencius said, “Something may prompt a person to go or prevent him from going. But whether he goes or stops is not within another person's power. That I did not meet the ruler of Lu was Heaven's doing. How could a son of the Zang family stop me from meeting him?”

### Book 2A · Gongsun Chou, Part One

3.1 Gongsun Chou asked, “If you took power in Qi, could you achieve what Guan Zhong and Yanzi achieved?”
Mencius said, “You really are from Qi! You only know about Guan Zhong and Yanzi. Someone once asked Zeng Xi, ‘Who is more capable, you or Zilu?’ Zeng Xi looked troubled and said, ‘My late father held Zilu in awe.’ The man asked, ‘Then who is more capable, you or Guan Zhong?’ Zeng Xi grew angry and said, ‘How can you compare me with Guan Zhong? He had the exclusive trust of his ruler and governed the state for so long, yet his achievements were so limited. How can you compare me with him?’ Guan Zhong's work was beneath Zeng Xi. Do you want me to aspire to it?”
“Guan Zhong made his ruler a leading power, and Yanzi made his ruler famous. Is even their work beneath you?”
“Making Qi the ruler of the world would be as easy as turning a hand over.”
“That confuses me even more. King Wen was virtuous, yet by the time he died at nearly a hundred he still had not brought his influence to the whole world. King Wu and the Duke of Zhou succeeded him, and only then did his way spread widely. If you say becoming king is so easy, does that mean King Wen is not worth following?”
“How could anyone compare with King Wen? Between Tang and Wu Ding, six or seven worthy and wise kings arose. The world had belonged to Yin for a long time, and something so long established is hard to change. Wu Ding could summon the lords to court and govern the world as easily as turning his hand. Zhou came not long after Wu Ding, while old families, inherited customs, good habits, and sound government still survived. Worthy men, including Weizi, Weizhong, Prince Bigan, Jizi, and Jiao Ge, helped and advised him. That is why it took so long for him to lose the world. Not a foot of land lay outside his control, not a person outside his rule. King Wen, by contrast, began with only a hundred li square, so his task was hard. There is a saying in Qi: ‘Wisdom matters less than using the opportunity; a fine hoe matters less than waiting for the right season.’ The present opportunity makes things easy. In the best days of Xia, Yin, and Zhou, none held more than a thousand li of land, and Qi has as much land today. The sounds of chickens crowing and dogs barking can be heard from village to village all the way to Qi's borders: Qi already has the people it needs. Without expanding its land or gathering any more people, it could rule the world by governing kindly. No one could stop it. Never has it been longer since a true king arose, and never have the people suffered more from cruel government. Hungry people are easy to feed, and thirsty people are easy to give water. Confucius said, ‘Virtue spreads faster than orders carried by relay stations.’ If a state with ten thousand war chariots practiced kind government now, its people would rejoice as if they had been freed from hanging upside down. One could do half as much work as people of old and achieve twice as much. That is possible now.”

3.2 Gongsun Chou asked, “If you became a high minister in Qi and could put your way into practice, it would not be surprising if you made the king a leading power or a true king. Would that shake your heart?”
Mencius said, “No. My heart has been steady since I turned forty.”
“Then you have far surpassed Meng Ben.”
“That is not difficult. Gaozi had a steady heart before I did.”
“Is there a way to steady the heart?”
“Yes. Beigong You cultivated courage this way: he did not flinch when struck or turn his eyes away. He regarded the slightest humiliation from another person as though he had been whipped in the public square. He would accept it neither from a poor man in coarse clothes nor from a ruler of ten thousand chariots. He thought stabbing such a ruler no different from stabbing a poor man. He had no fear of the lords. If they spoke harshly to him, he answered in kind. Meng Shishe cultivated courage differently. He said, ‘I face the prospect of defeat as though it were victory. A person who advances only after assessing the enemy and joins battle only when he expects victory is afraid of the entire opposing army. Can I guarantee victory? I can only be unafraid.’ Meng Shishe resembled Zengzi, and Beigong You resembled Zixia. I cannot say which of the two was braver, but Meng Shishe held to a simpler principle. Zengzi once told Zixiang, ‘Do you like courage? I once heard about great courage from the Master. If I examine myself and find I am in the wrong, I feel afraid even before a poor man in coarse clothes. If I examine myself and find I am in the right, I will face even ten million people.’ Meng Shishe held fast to his qi, but Zengzi held to something simpler still.”
“Can you explain how your steady heart differs from Gaozi's?”
“Gaozi said, ‘If words fail to convince you, do not look for an answer in the heart; if the heart does not yield an answer, do not look for one in qi.’ It is all right not to look to qi when the heart offers no answer. It is not all right to refuse to look to the heart when words do not convince you. Intent directs qi, and qi fills the body. Intent comes first and qi follows. That is why I say: keep your intent firm, but do not treat your qi roughly.”
“Why say both that intent comes first and qi follows, and that we must keep our intent firm without treating our qi roughly?”
“Focused intent can move qi, but focused qi can also move intent. When someone trips or runs, that movement of qi can in turn affect the heart.”
“May I ask what you are good at?”
“I understand speech, and I know how to nurture my flood-like qi.”
“What is flood-like qi?”
“It is hard to describe. This qi is immensely vast and firm. Nurture it by acting straight and do not damage it, and it fills the space between Heaven and earth. It goes together with rightness and the Way; without them it weakens. It grows from doing what is right again and again; it cannot be taken by performing a single righteous act. If you do something that leaves you dissatisfied with yourself, it weakens. That is why I say Gaozi never understood rightness: he treated it as something outside himself. You must keep working at it without forcing it. Do not forget it, but do not try to make it grow. Do not be like the man from Song who worried that his seedlings were not growing and pulled them up. He came home exhausted and told his family, ‘I am tired today! I helped the seedlings grow!’ His son hurried to look, and the seedlings had withered. There are few people in the world who do not try to force their seedlings to grow. Those who think tending them is useless and abandon them fail to weed them. Those who try to make them grow pull them up. Their work is not just useless; it does harm.”
“What do you mean by understanding speech?”
“When speech is one-sided, I know what it hides. When it runs to excess, I know where it leads. When it is wrong, I know what it departs from. When it evades the issue, I know where its argument runs out. These faults arise in the heart and harm government; expressed in government, they harm its work. If a sage arose again, he would agree with me.”
“Zai Wo and Zigong were good speakers, while Ran Niu, Minzi, and Yan Yuan spoke well about virtuous conduct. Confucius combined these abilities but said, ‘I cannot manage formal speeches.’ Does that mean you are already a sage?”
“What? Why say that? Zigong once asked Confucius, ‘Are you a sage?’ Confucius answered, ‘I cannot claim to be a sage. I never tire of learning and never weary of teaching.’ Zigong said, ‘Never tiring of learning is wisdom, and never wearying of teaching is kindness. If you are both kind and wise, you are a sage.’ Confucius himself did not claim to be a sage. How can you say such a thing about me?”
“I have heard that Zixia, Ziyou, and Zizhang each possessed one part of a sage's qualities, while Ran Niu, Minzi, and Yan Yuan had them all, though to a lesser degree. Which group would you place yourself in?”
“Let us set that aside.”
“What about Bo Yi and Yi Yin?”
“They took different paths. Bo Yi would serve only a ruler he approved of and employ only people he approved of. He entered public life when order prevailed and withdrew in times of disorder. Yi Yin said, ‘What ruler is not worth serving? What people are not worth helping?’ He entered public life in orderly times and in disorderly times. Confucius took office when it was right to do so, stopped when it was right to stop, stayed when it was right to stay, and left quickly when it was right to leave. All three were sages of ancient times. I cannot yet act like any of them, but I wish to learn from Confucius.”
“Were Bo Yi and Yi Yin on the same level as Confucius?”
“No. Since people first existed, there has been no one like Confucius.”
“Did they have anything in common?”
“Yes. Give any of them a territory a hundred li square to rule, and each could make the lords come to court and take charge of the world. None would commit one wrongful act or kill one innocent person to gain the world. They shared that.”
“Then how were they different?”
“Zai Wo, Zigong, and You Ruo were wise enough to recognize a sage. Even if they were of lesser ability, they would not flatter someone they admired. Zai Wo said, ‘From what I have seen, the Master is far greater than Yao and Shun.’ Zigong said, ‘By seeing his rites one can know his government; by hearing his music one can know his virtue. Even a hundred generations later, if one compares the kings of a hundred generations, no one can challenge that judgment. Since people first existed, there has been no one like the Master.’ You Ruo said, ‘This is true not only of people! The unicorn is like other running animals, the phoenix like other birds, Mount Tai like other hills, and rivers and seas like puddles left by rain: they are of the same kind, but far greater. A sage is of the same kind as other people, but stands out above them all. Since people first existed, none has been greater than Confucius.’”

3.3 Mencius said, “One who uses force while pretending to be kind becomes a hegemon, and a hegemon needs a large state. One who practices kindness through virtue rules as a true king, and a king does not need a large state: Tang began with seventy li and King Wen with a hundred. People forced to submit do not submit willingly; they simply lack the strength to resist. People won over by virtue submit sincerely and gladly from their hearts, as the seventy disciples did to Confucius. The Book of Songs says, ‘From west and east, from south and north, none thought of refusing to submit.’ That is what it means.”

3.4 Mencius said, “Kind government brings honor, and unkind government brings disgrace. To hate disgrace while governing unkindly is like hating dampness while living in a low place. If a ruler hates disgrace, he should value virtue and respect men of service. Let worthy people hold positions of authority and capable people carry out official duties. While the state is at peace, make its government and laws clear; then even great states will fear it. The Book of Songs says, ‘Before the sky brings rain, I gather mulberry bark and bind my window and door tightly. Now which people below will dare harm me?’ Confucius said, ‘The writer of this song understood the Way! If you can put your state in order, who will dare harm it?’ But if a ruler spends peaceful times in reckless pleasure and idleness, he invites disaster on himself. Both disaster and good fortune come from our own actions. The Book of Songs says, ‘Always think how to meet Heaven's command, and seek many blessings for yourself.’ The Book of Tai Jia says, ‘Disasters sent by Heaven can still be escaped; disasters you bring on yourself leave no way to survive.’ This is what they mean.”

3.5 Mencius said, “Respect worthy people and employ capable ones; place outstanding people in office. Then men of service throughout the world will gladly seek posts at your court. If you charge market traders rent for their stalls but do not tax their goods, and enforce the rules without seizing their stalls, merchants everywhere will gladly store their goods in your markets. If you inspect travelers at border gates but do not tax them, travelers everywhere will gladly take your roads. If farmers pay with work in the shared fields rather than with a tax, farmers everywhere will gladly work your fields. If you charge residents neither a levy on households nor a levy on the number of adults, people everywhere will gladly settle in your state. If you can truly do these five things, the people of neighboring states will look up to you as to their own parents. No one in the history of humanity has succeeded in leading children to attack their parents. Then you will have no enemy in the world. Someone with no enemy in the world acts on Heaven's behalf. No such person has ever failed to rule as a true king.”

3.6 Mencius said, “All people have a heart that cannot bear to see others suffer. The ancient kings had that heart and therefore governed in a way that spared others suffering. Govern with such a heart, and ordering the world is as easy as turning your hand over. Here is why I say everyone has it: if people suddenly saw a child about to fall into a well, they would all feel alarm and compassion. They would not feel it to make friends with the child's parents, to win praise from neighbors and friends, or to avoid an unpleasant reputation. From this we see that anyone without compassion is not human. Anyone without a sense of shame at wrong is not human. Anyone without a willingness to give way is not human. Anyone without a sense of right and wrong is not human. Compassion is the beginning of kindness; shame at wrong is the beginning of rightness; willingness to give way is the beginning of proper conduct; and a sense of right and wrong is the beginning of wisdom. People have these four beginnings just as they have four limbs. A person who has them but says he cannot use them harms himself; one who says his ruler cannot use them harms his ruler. Everyone who has these four beginnings within should know how to develop each one fully, just as a fire grows from its first flame or a spring flows from its first opening. If you can develop them, you can care for all within the four seas. If you cannot, you cannot even serve your parents.”

3.7 Mencius said, “Is the arrow maker less kind than the armor maker? The arrow maker fears that his product will not wound people, while the armor maker fears that people will be wounded. The same difference exists between a healer and a coffin maker. We must therefore choose our work carefully. Confucius said, ‘It is good to live among kind people. How can someone who chooses not to live among them be wise?’ Kindness is Heaven's highest rank and people's safest home. If no one prevents you from being kind but you still refuse, you lack wisdom. People without kindness, wisdom, proper conduct, or rightness become servants to others. To be a servant and feel ashamed of serving is like making bows while feeling ashamed of making bows, or making arrows while feeling ashamed of making arrows. If you are ashamed, the best answer is to act kindly. Kindness is like archery: an archer puts himself in the proper position before shooting. If he shoots and misses, he does not blame the person who outshot him; he looks for the cause in himself.”

3.8 Mencius said, “Zilu was glad when someone told him of a fault. Yu bowed when he heard good advice. The great Shun did something even greater: he worked for the good with other people. He set aside his own views and followed theirs, taking pleasure in learning from them how to do good. From the days when he farmed, made pottery, and fished until he became emperor, he continually learned from others. Learning from others how to do good means helping others do good. Nothing is greater for a noble person than helping others do good.”

3.9 Mencius said, “Bo Yi would serve no ruler and make no friend unless he approved of them. He would neither stand in a bad ruler's court nor speak with a bad person. To do so would have been like sitting in mud and soot while wearing court robes and a court cap. His aversion to wrong extended so far that, if he thought about standing beside a villager whose cap was crooked, he would turn away, afraid of being soiled. So even when lords came with well-worded invitations, he refused them. In refusing, he showed that he considered serving them beneath him. Liuxia Hui was not ashamed to serve a corrupt ruler and did not think a low office beneath him. When promoted, he never hid his abilities and always followed his principles. If overlooked, he held no grudge; if in difficulty, he did not complain. He said, ‘You are you, and I am I. Even if you undress and stand naked beside me, how could you make me dirty?’ So he stayed comfortably in their company without losing himself. If someone urged him to stay, he stayed. In agreeing to stay, he showed that he did not consider remaining among them beneath him.” Mencius added, “Bo Yi was too rigid, and Liuxia Hui too undemanding of others. A noble person does not follow either extreme.”

### Book 2B · Gongsun Chou, Part Two

4.1 Mencius said, “Good timing matters less than favorable terrain, and favorable terrain matters less than people acting together. A walled town three li across with an outer wall seven li around it might withstand an attack from all sides. Attackers who can surround it must have chosen a favorable time. If they still cannot take it, terrain matters more than timing. A city might have high walls, a deep moat, sturdy armor and sharp weapons, and plenty of grain. Yet if its defenders abandon it and run away, acting together matters more than terrain. So I say: borders do not keep people in a state; difficult mountains and rivers do not make it secure; good weapons do not make it feared throughout the world. A ruler who follows the Way has many helpers; one who abandons it has few. With very few helpers, even his relatives desert him. With very many, everyone in the world supports him. If a ruler supported by the world attacks one abandoned even by his relatives, he cannot lose. So a noble person may choose not to fight, but if he fights, he will win.”

4.2 Mencius was about to attend court when the king sent a messenger to say, “I would have come to see you, but I have a chill and cannot go out in the wind. I will attend court tomorrow morning. Could I see you there?”
Mencius replied, “Unfortunately I am ill and cannot come to court.”
The next day he went to pay condolences to the Dongguo family. Gongsun Chou asked, “You excused yourself yesterday on grounds of illness. Is it right to make a condolence visit today?”
“I was ill yesterday but have recovered today. Why shouldn't I pay condolences?”
The king sent someone to inquire after his health, and a doctor arrived. Meng Zhongzi answered, “When the king sent his invitation yesterday, he had a small illness and could not come to court. He has now recovered a little and has rushed to court. I do not know whether he has arrived yet.” He sent several men to intercept Mencius on the road, saying, “Please do not come home; go straight to court.”
Having no other choice, Mencius went and spent the night at Jing Chou's house.
Jing Chou said, “Between father and son within the family, and ruler and minister outside it, are the great human relationships. The first rests on affection and the second on respect. I have seen the king show you respect, but I have not seen you show him respect.”
“What are you saying?” Mencius replied. “People in Qi do not speak to the king about kindness and rightness. Do they think kindness and rightness are not good? No; inwardly they say, ‘He is not worth discussing them with.’ There could be no greater disrespect. I would never present the king with anything other than the way of Yao and Shun. No one in Qi respects the king as much as I do.”
“That is not what I mean,” Jing Chou said. “The Book of Rites says, ‘When a father calls, answer immediately. When the ruler summons you, do not wait for your carriage.’ You were about to attend court, but on hearing the king's request you did not go. That hardly seems to agree with proper conduct.”
“Is that what you mean? Zengzi said, ‘I cannot match the wealth of Jin and Chu. They have their wealth, but I have kindness; they have high rank, but I have rightness. How am I any worse off?’ Would Zengzi have said that if it had not been right? There is a principle here. The world recognizes three grounds for respect: official rank, age, and virtue. At court rank comes first; among neighbors age comes first; but for helping the world and governing people virtue comes first. How can one possess one of these and use it to slight the other two? A ruler who wants to accomplish great things must have ministers he cannot simply summon. When he needs advice, he goes to them. Unless he respects virtue and values the Way like that, he cannot accomplish anything. Tang first learned from Yi Yin and only then employed him, and so became king without great difficulty. Duke Huan first learned from Guan Zhong and only then employed him, and so became a hegemon without great difficulty. Today the states are evenly matched in land and virtue, and none can rise above the others. That is simply because rulers like to employ men they can teach, not men from whom they must learn. Tang would not have summoned Yi Yin; Duke Huan would not have summoned Guan Zhong. If not even Guan Zhong could be summoned, how much less could someone who would not follow Guan Zhong's example?”

4.3 Chen Zhen asked, “In Qi you refused a gift of a hundred pieces of fine gold from the king. In Song you accepted seventy yi of gold, and in Xue you accepted fifty. If refusing before was right, accepting later was wrong; if accepting later was right, refusing before was wrong. Surely one of these must be true.”
Mencius said, “All were right. In Song I was about to make a long journey, and travelers are given parting gifts. The message called it a parting gift, so why should I refuse? In Xue I had reason to fear danger; the message said, ‘I have heard you need to take precautions, so I give this for weapons.’ Why should I refuse? But in Qi there was no particular reason for a gift. To give someone money without a reason is to try to buy him. How could a noble person be bought?”

4.4 Mencius went to Pinglu and asked its official, “If one of your soldiers lost his place in the ranks three times in a day, would you dismiss him?”
“I would not wait for three times.”
“Then you have often failed in your place. During famine years, your elderly and weak people have fallen into ditches and ravines, and nearly a thousand able-bodied people have scattered in all directions.”
“This is not something I, Kong Juxin, can do anything about.”
“Suppose someone entrusted another man with his cattle and sheep to tend. That man would have to find pasture and fodder for them. If he could not find any, should he return them to their owner, or just stand and watch them die?”
“This is my fault,” said Juxin.
Later Mencius met the king and said, “I know five officials who govern your cities, but only Kong Juxin recognizes his fault. Let me tell you what he said.”
The king replied, “Then the fault is mine.”

4.5 Mencius said to Chi Wa, “It seemed right for you to leave Lingqiu and request the office of chief judge, since it would let you speak frankly. It has been several months now. Have you not had a chance to speak?”
Chi Wa gave advice to the king, but the king did not follow it, so he resigned and left.
People in Qi said, “Mencius gave Chi Wa good advice, but we do not know how he accounts for his own conduct.”
Gongduzi told Mencius this. Mencius said, “I have heard that a man with an official duty should resign if he cannot carry it out. A man charged with giving advice should resign if his words are ignored. I hold no official duties and have no duty to advise. Surely I can choose freely whether to stay or leave.”

4.6 While Mencius was a high minister in Qi, he went to Teng to pay condolences. The king sent Wang Huan, the official from Gai, to assist him on the journey. Wang Huan met him morning and evening, but on the whole journey from Qi to Teng and back Mencius never discussed official business with him.
Gongsun Chou asked, “A high minister's position in Qi is important, and the road to Teng is long. Why did you go and return without ever discussing your work with him?”
Mencius said, “Someone else was already handling it. What was there for me to say?”

4.7 Mencius left Qi to perform a burial in Lu. On his return to Qi he stopped at Ying. Chong Yu asked him, “Recently you did not know that I was unfit, and you made me supervise the craftsmen. While the arrangements were under way, I did not dare ask. Now I would like to ask you privately: wasn't the wood rather fine?”
Mencius said, “In early times there was no set measure for inner and outer coffins. Later the inner coffin was seven inches thick, with an outer coffin to match, from the Son of Heaven down to ordinary people. People did this not just to make them look good but to express their full feelings. A person who is not permitted to do it cannot feel satisfied; nor can a person without the means. If it is permitted and a person has the means, people of old all did it. Why should I alone not do so? And does it not satisfy our feelings to keep the earth from touching the body of the dead? I have heard a noble person should not deny a parent something just to be thrifty with all the world's wealth.”

4.8 Shen Tong asked Mencius privately, “Is it right to attack Yan?”
“Yes,” Mencius replied. “Zikuai had no right to give Yan away, and Zizhi had no right to accept it from him. Suppose you liked an official and privately gave him my rank and salary without informing the king. Would it be right for that man to accept them from you without an order from the king? How is this different?”
Qi attacked Yan. Someone asked Mencius, “Did you encourage Qi to attack Yan?”
“No. Shen Tong asked, ‘Is it right to attack Yan?’ and I answered, ‘Yes.’ That is why they attacked. If he had asked, ‘Who has the right to attack it?’ I would have answered, ‘One who acts on Heaven's behalf has the right.’ If someone had committed murder and a person asked me, ‘Is it right to execute him?’ I would say, ‘Yes.’ But if he asked, ‘Who has the right to execute him?’ I would say, ‘The chief judge has the right.’ Now one Yan has attacked another Yan. Why would I encourage that?”

4.9 The people of Yan rebelled. The king said, “I am deeply ashamed before Mencius.”
Chen Jia said, “Do not worry. Do you think you are kinder and wiser than the Duke of Zhou?”
“What are you saying?” said the king.
“The Duke of Zhou put his elder brother Guan Shu in charge of overseeing Yin, and Guan Shu rebelled with Yin. If the duke knew he would rebel but appointed him, he was not kind. If he did not know, he was not wise. Even the Duke of Zhou was not perfect in kindness and wisdom, so how could you be? Let me go and explain it to Mencius.”
Chen Jia met Mencius and asked, “What sort of man was the Duke of Zhou?”
“A sage of old.”
“He put Guan Shu in charge of Yin, and Guan Shu rebelled with Yin. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“Did the Duke of Zhou know he would rebel when he appointed him?”
“No.”
“So even a sage makes mistakes?”
“The Duke of Zhou was the younger brother, and Guan Shu was the older. Is it surprising that the duke made this mistake? Moreover, noble people in ancient times corrected their mistakes. Today's noble people accept their mistakes as right. The mistakes of noble people in ancient times were like eclipses of the sun and moon: everyone saw them. When they corrected those mistakes, everyone looked up to them again. Noble people today do more than accept their errors: they make excuses for them.”

4.10 Mencius resigned his position and went home.
The king went to see him and said, “Before, I wanted to see you but could not. It made me happy to serve alongside you at court. Now you are leaving me and going home. Can I hope to see you again?”
Mencius replied, “I would not dare to ask, but I certainly hope so.”
Later the king said to Shi Zi, “I want to give Mencius a house in the middle of the state and ten thousand measures of grain to support his disciples. Then the officials and people of Qi will all have someone to look up to as an example. Why don't you speak to him for me?”
Shi Zi told Chen Zi, who passed his words on to Mencius.
Mencius said, “Yes, but how can Shi Zi not see that this is unacceptable? If I wanted to be rich, would I turn down a hundred thousand measures only to accept ten thousand? Ji Sun said, ‘Zishu Yi is strange. He was given charge of government but was not listened to; he could have simply stopped. Instead he tried to put his sons and younger brothers in high office. Everyone wants wealth and rank, but he alone tried to claim a privileged perch in the midst of them.’ In the old days at a market, people traded what they had for what they lacked, while officials simply kept order. But a petty man decided to climb to a high mound and look around in every direction so he could capture all the market's profits. Everyone thought him contemptible, so they began charging him a tax. Taxes on merchants began with that petty man.”

4.11 Mencius left Qi and stayed overnight in Zhou. A man who wanted to persuade him to stay for the king sat and spoke to him. Mencius did not answer; he leaned on a table and lay down.
The visitor was displeased. “I purified myself and waited before daring to speak to you. You lie down and do not listen. I will not presume to visit you again.”
“Sit down,” said Mencius. “Let me explain. In the past Duke Mu of Lu could not keep Zisi comfortably at his court unless someone around Zisi acted as a go-between. Xie Liu and Shen Xiang could not remain secure unless someone around Duke Mu spoke for them. You have thought about the elder man here, but have not thought about Zisi. Which of us is breaking off relations with the other: you or I?”

4.12 Mencius left Qi. Yin Shi told someone, “If Mencius did not know that the king could not become like Tang and King Wu, he lacked insight. If he knew but came anyway, he came seeking favor. He traveled a thousand li to see the king, and left when he was not welcomed. Then he stayed three nights in Zhou before going on. Why linger like that? I am not pleased.”
Gaozi told Mencius. Mencius said, “What does Yin Shi know about me? I traveled a thousand li to see the king because I wanted to. Did I want to leave without finding a welcome? I had no choice. I stayed in Zhou for three nights and still thought I was leaving too quickly. I hoped the king might change his mind. If he had, he would certainly have called me back. Only after I left Zhou and he did not send after me did I set my heart on going home. Even then, have I given up on him? He can still do good. If he employed me, it would not be just Qi's people who found peace; all the people of the world would. I hope he may yet change his mind. I wait for it each day. Am I like a petty man who, if the ruler ignores his advice, gets angry and shows it on his face, then marches as far as his strength will take him before stopping for the night?”
When Yin Shi heard this, he said, “I was truly a petty man.”

4.13 As Mencius was leaving Qi, Chong Yu asked him on the road, “You look unhappy. I once heard you say, ‘A noble person does not complain against Heaven or blame other people.’”
Mencius said, “That was one time; this is another. Every five hundred years a true king must arise, with famous men in the years between. More than seven hundred years have passed since Zhou. By the count the time has already passed; considering the situation, the time is right. But Heaven does not yet wish to bring peace and order to the world. If it did, who else in this age could do it but me? Why should I be unhappy?”

4.14 Mencius left Qi and stayed in Xiu. Gongsun Chou asked, “Is it an ancient practice to hold office without taking a salary?”
“No. I met the king at Chong and came away intending to leave. I did not want to change my mind, so I took no salary. Then a call to arms came and I could not ask to leave. Staying in Qi so long was not my wish.”

### Book 3A · Duke Wen of Teng, Part One

5.1 When Duke Wen of Teng was still crown prince, he met Mencius while passing through Song on his way to Chu. Mencius spoke of the goodness of human nature and always referred to Yao and Shun.
The crown prince met Mencius again on his return from Chu. Mencius asked, “Do you doubt what I told you? There is only one Way. Cheng Jian told Duke Jing of Qi, ‘He is a man and I am a man. Why should I fear him?’ Yan Yuan said, ‘What sort of person was Shun? What sort of person am I? Anyone who works at it can be like him.’ Gongming Yi said, ‘King Wen is my teacher; surely the Duke of Zhou would not deceive me.’ Teng measures almost fifty li across, counting its long and short stretches together. That is still enough land to make a good state. The Book of Documents says, ‘If medicine does not make you dizzy, it will not cure your disease.’”

5.2 Duke Ding of Teng died. The crown prince told Ran You, “Mencius spoke to me once in Song, and I have never forgotten his words. Now this misfortune has come to us. I want you to consult Mencius before I make arrangements.”
Ran You went to Zou to ask Mencius. Mencius said, “That is a fine thing to do! At a parent's death one should express all one's feelings. Zengzi said, ‘Serve your parents according to proper conduct while they live; bury them and make offerings to them according to proper conduct after they die. That is respect for parents.’ I have not studied the mourning rites of the lords, but I have heard that mourning for three years, wearing coarse cloth and eating thin porridge, was the custom of all three dynasties, from the Son of Heaven down to ordinary people.”
Ran You returned with this answer, and the prince decided on three years of mourning. His older relatives and officials all opposed it. They said, “The former rulers of Lu, the state our family came from, did not do this, and neither did our own former rulers. You cannot reverse the custom now. Besides, the Records say, ‘In mourning and offerings, follow your ancestors.’” They added, “We have received this teaching.”
The prince said to Ran You, “In the past I did not study. I liked riding horses and practicing swordsmanship. Now my older relatives and officials do not think I am capable, and I am afraid I cannot do my full duty at this grave time. Ask Mencius for me.”
Ran You went again to Zou and asked Mencius. Mencius said, “Yes. He cannot look for the answer anywhere else. Confucius said, ‘When the ruler dies, his chief steward directs affairs. His son eats thin porridge, his face dark with grief; he takes his place and weeps. None of the officials dares not to mourn, because he leads them. Whatever those above care about, those below care about still more. A noble person's virtue is the wind; ordinary people's virtue is the grass. When wind blows over grass, the grass bends.’ The choice lies with the crown prince.”
Ran You brought back his answer. The prince said, “Yes, it truly lies with me.”
For five months he lived in a mourning hut and issued no orders or instructions. The officials and family members said he understood mourning. When the burial came, people arrived from every direction to watch. His sorrowful expression and his crying deeply pleased those who came to offer condolences.

5.3 Duke Wen of Teng asked how to govern the state. Mencius said, “You cannot delay attending to the people's work. The Book of Songs says, ‘By day collect thatch, by night twist rope. Hurry to repair the roof, and then begin sowing all the grains.’ People with a steady livelihood have steady hearts; without a steady livelihood they have no steady hearts. Then there is nothing they will not do: behave recklessly, go astray, and break the law. To let them fall into crime and then punish them is to set a trap for them. How could a kind person set traps for people while in power? A worthy ruler therefore shows respect, lives simply, treats his subordinates properly, and places limits on what he takes from the people. Yang Hu said, ‘Those who strive to be rich cannot be kind; those who strive to be kind cannot be rich.’
“Under Xia farmers with fifty mu gave a share of the crop; under Yin those with seventy mu worked a shared field; under Zhou farmers had a hundred mu under a different tax method. In practice, all three took a tenth. The Zhou system was meant to apply equally, and the Yin system drew on shared labor. Longzi said, ‘For governing farmland, nothing is better than the shared-labor system and nothing worse than the crop-share system. Crop shares are set by averaging several years. In a good year grain lies everywhere, and the ruler takes only a little, though taking more would not be cruel. In a bad year, when farmers cannot even gather enough to fertilize their fields, the ruler still takes the full share. A ruler who claims to be a parent to the people forces them to labor hard all year, without enough to support their parents, and then to borrow still more. The old and the young tumble into ditches and ravines. How is that being a parent to the people?’ Teng already practices hereditary stipends. The Book of Songs says, ‘Let rain fall on our shared fields and then on my own.’ Only the shared-labor system has shared fields. This suggests that even Zhou used it.
“Set up local and higher schools to teach the people. The names for local schools refer to caring for people, teaching them, and training them in archery. Xia called them schools for teaching; Yin called them archery schools; Zhou called them schools for caring. All three dynasties had higher schools as well. Their purpose was to make human relationships clear. When those above make those relationships clear, ordinary people below become close to one another. When a true king arises, he will come here to take your government as his model. Then you will be the teacher of a king. The Book of Songs says, ‘Though Zhou was an old state, its mandate was new.’ That refers to King Wen. Put this into practice with all your strength, and you too can renew your state!”
The duke sent Bi Zhan to ask about dividing land into well-fields. Mencius said, “Your ruler intends to practice kind government and has chosen you for the task. You must do your best. Kind government has to begin with clearly marked field boundaries. If the boundaries are not correct, the well-fields will not be allotted equally and grain stipends will be unfair. That is why cruel rulers and corrupt officials neglect the boundaries. Once boundaries are properly marked, land and stipends can be assigned without difficulty.
“Teng has little land. It will have officials who govern and farmers who work in the fields. Without officials there is no one to govern the farmers; without farmers there is no one to support the officials. I suggest that in the countryside farmers work one shared part in nine, while in towns households assess and pay a tenth themselves. Ministers and lower-ranking officials should have special fields of their own, of fifty mu each. Unmarried adult men should get twenty-five mu. People should not leave their village when they die or move. If the village fields are grouped in the same well-field, people will come and go as friends, help one another keep watch, and support one another in sickness. This will bring neighbors together. Lay out each well-field a li square, with nine hundred mu. The middle hundred mu is the public field. Each of eight households has a private hundred mu, and all work the public field together. Only after finishing that work may they work their own plots. This arrangement distinguishes the farmers' work from other work. That is the general plan. The details are for you and your ruler to work out.”

5.4 Xu Xing, a follower of the teachings of the Divine Farmer, came from Chu to Teng and presented himself at Duke Wen's gate. He said, “I have come from far away because I heard you govern kindly. I would like a place to live and become one of your people.” Duke Wen gave him a place. His several dozen followers all wore rough cloth and supported themselves by making sandals and weaving mats.
Chen Xiang and his younger brother Xin, pupils of Chen Liang, carried farm tools from Song to Teng. They said, “We hear that you govern as a sage would. That makes you a sage too, and we want to be your people.”
Chen Xiang met Xu Xing and was delighted. He gave up everything he had learned and studied with Xu Xing instead.
Chen Xiang met Mencius and repeated Xu Xing's teaching: “The ruler of Teng is indeed a good ruler, but he still does not understand the Way. A worthy ruler farms alongside his people for his food while governing and preparing his meals. Teng now has barns and treasuries. This means the ruler exploits the people to support himself. How can he be worthy?”
Mencius asked, “Does Xu Xing grow his own grain before eating it?”
“Yes.”
“Does he weave his own cloth before wearing it?”
“No, he wears rough cloth.”
“Does he wear a cap?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of cap?”
“A plain one.”
“Does he weave it himself?”
“No, he trades grain for it.”
“Why doesn't he weave it?”
“That would interfere with his farming.”
“Does Xu Xing cook in pots and steamers and farm with iron tools?”
“Yes.”
“Does he make them himself?”
“No, he trades grain for them.”
“When he trades grain for tools, he does not exploit the potters and metalworkers. And when they trade tools for his grain, surely they do not exploit the farmer. Why doesn't Xu Xing make his own pots and iron tools and use everything from his own home? Why does he keep trading with the different craftsmen? Why doesn't he avoid all that trouble?”
“One cannot both farm and do all the crafts.”
“Can one both farm and govern the whole world, then? Some tasks belong to leaders and some to working people. A single person needs the products of many crafts. If everyone had to make everything they used, the whole world would be worn out. So some people work with their minds and some work with their bodies. Those who work with their minds govern others; those who work with their bodies are governed by others. Those who are governed provide food for others; those who govern receive food from others. This is a common principle throughout the world.
“In Yao's time the world was still unsettled. Floodwaters spread far and wide across the land; plants grew thick and wild animals multiplied. The five grains did not grow, and animals threatened people. Paths made by birds and beasts crossed the central states. Yao alone worried about this. He appointed Shun to establish order. Shun put Yi in charge of fire. Yi burned the forests and marshes fiercely, driving the animals into hiding. Yu opened channels for the nine rivers, cleared the Ji and Ta to the sea, cut openings for the Ru and Han, and guided the Huai and Si into the Yangtze. Only then could people in the central states grow food. Yu spent eight years away from home and passed his own door three times without entering. Even if he had wanted to farm, could he have done so?
“Hou Ji taught the people to farm and plant the five grains; when these ripened, people could be raised. But people need guidance. If they have full stomachs, warm clothes, and comfortable homes but receive no teaching, they become little different from animals. A sage worried about this and put Xie in charge of teaching human relationships: affection between parent and child, rightness between ruler and minister, distinct roles for husband and wife, the proper order between old and young, and trust between friends. Yao said, ‘Work with them and welcome them; correct them and set them straight; help and support them until they understand for themselves; then continue to encourage their goodness.’ Sages cared so much about the people. Did they have time to farm?
“Yao worried about finding Shun; Shun worried about finding Yu and Gao Yao. A farmer worries about making his hundred mu productive. Giving people wealth is generosity; teaching them goodness is loyalty; finding people fit to govern the world is kindness. So handing the world over to another person is easier than finding someone fit to govern it. Confucius said, ‘How great Yao was as a ruler! Only Heaven is great, and Yao followed it. His greatness was so vast that the people could not describe it. What a ruler Shun was! How grand that he had the whole world but treated it as nothing personal!’ Do you think Yao and Shun did not put their minds to governing? They simply did not devote themselves to farming.
“I have heard of people bringing the peoples on the borders toward Xia's culture, but never of people changing themselves to follow the border peoples. Chen Liang was born in Chu. He admired the way of the Duke of Zhou and Confucius and traveled north to study in the central states. No scholar of the north could surpass him. He was what we call an outstanding man. You and your brother served him for decades, yet as soon as he died you turned away from him. When Confucius died, his disciples mourned for three years. As they packed to go home, they went in to bow to Zigong, faced each other and wept so hard they lost their voices before leaving. Zigong returned, built a hut by the grave, and lived there alone for three more years before going home. Later Zixia, Zizhang, and Ziyou thought You Ruo resembled Confucius and wanted to serve him as they had served the Master. They urged Zengzi to do so. Zengzi said, ‘No! He is as if washed by the Yangtze and Han rivers and dried by the autumn sun. His brightness cannot be surpassed.’ But now you turn from your teacher to study with a man from the southern border whose speech sounds like a shrike's and who condemns the ancient kings' Way. You are quite unlike Zengzi. I have heard of a bird leaving a dark valley for a tall tree, not of one coming down from a tall tree to a dark valley. The Hymns of Lu say, ‘He struck the Rong and Di and chastised Jing and Shu.’ The Duke of Zhou fought them, but you study one of them. This is a change for the worse.”
Chen Xiang said, “If everyone followed Xu Xing's way, market prices would not vary and there would be no fraud in the state. Even a small child could go to market without being cheated. Cloth and silk of the same length would have the same price. Hemp, thread, silk, and floss of the same weight would have the same price. Equal quantities of the different grains would have the same price. Shoes of the same size would have the same price.”
Mencius replied, “Things naturally differ in quality. Some cost twice or five times as much as others, some ten or a hundred times, some a thousand or ten thousand times. If you force them all to have the same price, you throw the world into disorder. If large, well-made shoes and small, poorly made shoes cost the same, who will make good ones? Following Xu Xing's way will lead everyone to cheat. How could you govern a state that way?”

5.5 Yi Zhi, a follower of Mozi, asked Xu Bi to arrange a meeting with Mencius. Mencius said, “I would like to see him, but I am still ill. When I recover I will go to him.” Yi Zhi did not come.
Later Yi Zhi asked again for a meeting. Mencius said, “Now I can see him. Unless I speak directly, the Way will not be clear; let me be direct. I hear Yi Zhi is a follower of Mozi. Mozi's followers consider simple funerals the proper way to bury the dead. Yi Zhi wants to change the whole world with this teaching, so he must surely think it right. Yet he gave his parents a costly burial. That means he served his parents by doing something his own teaching considers wrong.”
Xu Bi told Yi Zhi, who replied, “Confucian teaching says of people of old, ‘Care for them like infants.’ What does this mean? I take it to mean that love does not vary from person to person, though we put it into practice starting with our parents.”
Xu Bi repeated this to Mencius. Mencius said, “Does Yi Zhi truly think people care for their brother's baby exactly as they care for a neighbor's baby? The old saying has a particular meaning: a baby crawling toward a well is not to blame for the danger it is in. Moreover, Heaven gives every living thing a single root, but Yi Zhi gives it two. In very ancient times some people did not bury their parents. When a parent died, they carried the body away and left it in a ravine. Later they passed by and saw foxes eating it and flies and gnats sucking it. Sweat broke out on their foreheads, and they looked away. They did not sweat to impress others: the feeling inside them showed on their faces. They went home for spades and baskets, returned, and covered the body. If it was right to cover it, then respectful children and kind people must have good reason to bury their parents.”
Xu Bi told Yi Zhi. Yi Zhi was silent in thought for a while, then said, “I have received your instruction.”

### Book 3B · Duke Wen of Teng, Part Two

6.1 Chen Dai said, “Refusing to meet the rulers seems like a small matter. If you met one, you could make him a true king at best and a leading power at least. Besides, the Records say, ‘Bend one foot to straighten eight.’ It seems worth doing.”
Mencius replied, “Once Duke Jing of Qi went hunting and summoned the park keeper with a flag. The keeper refused to come, and the duke meant to kill him. Confucius said, ‘A committed man does not forget that he might end up dead in a ditch; a brave man does not forget that he might lose his head.’ What did Confucius admire in the keeper? He would not go when summoned by the wrong signal. If you go without even waiting to be summoned, what does that say? And ‘bend one foot to straighten eight’ speaks of advantage. If advantage is the measure, could you bend eight feet to straighten one if that brought a profit? Once Zhao Jianzi had Wang Liang drive a carriage for his favorite courtier Xi. They hunted all day without catching a single animal. Xi reported, ‘He is the worst driver in the world.’ When someone told Wang Liang, he asked to try again. Xi reluctantly agreed, and they caught ten animals in one morning. Xi reported, ‘He is the best driver in the world.’ Jianzi said, ‘I will make him your permanent driver.’ But Wang Liang refused. ‘When I drove correctly for him,’ he said, ‘we caught nothing all day. When I drove in a dishonest way to let him take unfair shots, we caught ten in one morning. The Book of Songs says, “He drives without error and shoots his arrows to break the target.” I am not used to driving for a petty man, so I decline.’ Even a driver was ashamed to cooperate with an archer like that. He would not do it even to get a mountain of game. Why should I abandon my principles to follow such rulers? You are mistaken. No one who compromises his own conduct can set other people straight.”

6.2 Jing Chun said, “Surely Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi are truly great men. When they get angry, the lords tremble; when they sit quietly at home, the world grows calm.”
Mencius said, “How can they be great men? Have you not studied proper conduct? At a boy's coming-of-age ceremony his father gives him instructions. When a girl marries, her mother gives her instructions, accompanies her to the gate, and warns her, ‘When you go to your new home, be careful and respectful, and never disobey your husband.’ Taking obedience as your rule is the way of a wife or concubine. A great man lives in the world's spacious home, kindness; he stands in its proper place, rightness; and he walks its broad road, proper conduct. When he can achieve his aims, he follows this road with the people. When he cannot, he follows it on his own. Wealth and rank cannot corrupt him, poverty and low status cannot change him, and force and threats cannot make him yield. That is a great man.”

6.3 Zhou Xiao asked, “Did noble people of old take public office?”
“Yes,” said Mencius. “A record says, ‘If Confucius spent three months without a ruler, he grew anxious. When he crossed a border, he carried his credentials.’ Gongming Yi said, ‘In ancient times, if a man spent three months without a ruler, people offered condolences.’”
“Condolences after just three months without a ruler? Isn't that too eager?”
“For a man of service to lose his post is like a lord losing his state. The Book of Rites says, ‘A lord plows the shared fields to provide grain for offerings; his wife raises silkworms and spins silk for ceremonial clothes. If the animals are unfit, the grain unclean, or the clothes incomplete, they do not dare make offerings. And a man of service without land does not make offerings either.’ If someone lacks sacrificial animals, vessels, and clothes, he cannot make offerings or hold a feast. Isn't that enough reason for condolences?”
“Why carry credentials when crossing a border?”
“Taking office is to a man of service what working the land is to a farmer. Would a farmer leave his plow behind when crossing a border?”
“Jin too is a state where men hold office, but I have never heard of such eagerness. If noble people are so eager, why is it hard for them to take office?”
“Parents want a home for their son when he is born and a marriage for their daughter when she is born. All parents feel that way. But if the children peep at each other through holes in the wall and climb over walls to meet without their parents' permission or a matchmaker's help, both parents and neighbors look down on them. People of old wanted to hold office, but they hated entering it by the wrong path. Doing so would be like peeping through a hole in a wall.”

6.4 Peng Geng asked, “Isn't it excessive for you to travel with dozens of carriages and hundreds of followers and receive food from one lord after another?”
Mencius said, “If it is not right, you should not accept even one basket of food. If it is right, Shun could accept the whole world from Yao without excess. Do you think that was excessive?”
“No. But a man of service should not eat when he does no work.”
“If people did not trade the results of their different work, sharing their excess to supply what others lack, farmers would have too much grain and women who weave would have too much cloth. Once they trade, carpenters and makers of wheels and carriages can get their food from you. Now suppose a man respects his parents at home and his elders outside, keeps the ancient kings' Way, and teaches later students. Why should he not get his food from you? Why value carpenters and carriage makers but look down on someone who practices kindness and rightness?”
“Carpenters and carriage makers do their work intending to earn food. Does a noble person follow the Way with that intention?”
“Why concern yourself with his intentions? If his work helps you and he deserves food, give him food. Do you pay for intentions or for work?”
“For intentions.”
“Suppose a man broke your roof tiles and scribbled on your walls, intending to earn food. Would you feed him?”
“No.”
“Then you pay for work, not intentions.”

6.5 Wan Zhang asked, “Song is small but is going to govern as a true king should. What if Qi and Chu dislike it and attack?”
Mencius said, “Tang lived in Bo, near Ge. The ruler of Ge neglected his duties and made no offerings to his ancestors. Tang sent men to ask him why. ‘I have no animals to offer,’ he answered. Tang sent him cattle and sheep, but the ruler ate them and still made no offerings. Tang asked again why. ‘I have no grain to offer,’ the ruler said. Tang sent people from Bo to farm his land, while the old and young brought the farmers food. But the ruler of Ge led his people to intercept anyone bringing food, drink, millet, or rice. They stole the supplies and killed those who resisted. They killed a boy who was bringing millet and meat and stole his food. The Book of Documents says, ‘The ruler of Ge was the enemy of those who brought food.’ That is what it means. Tang attacked him because he had killed the boy. Throughout the world people said, ‘Tang is not trying to enrich himself with land. He is avenging an ordinary boy and girl.’ Tang's first campaign began at Ge. After eleven campaigns he had no enemy in the world. When he marched east, people in the west complained; when he marched south, people in the north complained, ‘Why are we last?’ They waited for him as people in a terrible drought wait for rain. Merchants did not stop going to market, and those weeding the fields kept working. Tang punished the rulers and comforted the people. Like timely rain, he made them rejoice. The Book of Documents says, ‘We wait for our lord; when our lord comes, no punishment will fall on us.’ Another passage says, ‘There were some who would not serve. He marched east and calmed their men and women. They brought baskets of dark and yellow silk to welcome our king of Zhou and see his good works; they attached themselves as subjects to the great city of Zhou.’ Their leaders brought baskets of silk to welcome his leaders, while the common people brought baskets of food and jars of drink to welcome his ordinary soldiers. To rescue people from flood and fire, it was only necessary to remove those who harmed them. The Great Oath says, ‘I raise my military strength, march into their territory, and take away those who harm them; I put my weapons to use, and outshine Tang.’ The danger arises only if Song does not practice kingly government. If it does, people throughout the world will lift their heads and look toward it, wanting its ruler as their own. Why fear Qi and Chu, however large they are?”

6.6 Mencius said to Dai Busheng, “Do you want your king to become good? Let me explain clearly. Suppose a minister from Chu wants his son to learn to speak the language of Qi. Should he hire a person from Qi to teach him, or one from Chu?”
“Someone from Qi.”
“If one Qi speaker teaches the boy but many Chu speakers chatter around him, you could beat him every day to make him speak Qi and still fail. But take him to live for several years in a neighborhood of Qi speakers between Zhuang and Yue, and you could beat him every day to make him speak Chu and still fail. You say Xue Juzhou is a good man and have arranged for him to stay with the king. If everyone around the king, old and young, high and low, were like Xue Juzhou, with whom could the king do wrong? If none of them were like him, with whom could the king do right? What can one Xue Juzhou do by himself for the king of Song?”

6.7 Gongsun Chou asked, “Why do you refuse to meet the rulers?”
Mencius replied, “In ancient times a man who was not in a ruler's service did not meet him. Duan Ganmu climbed over a wall to avoid a ruler, and Xie Liu closed his door and would not let one in. That was going too far: if pressed, they could have met him. Yang Huo wanted to meet Confucius but did not want to be discourteous. When a high official gives a man of service a present and the man is not at home to receive it, he visits the official's home to thank him. Yang Huo waited until Confucius was away and sent him a cooked pig. Confucius in turn waited until Yang Huo was away and went to thank him. If Yang Huo had taken the first proper step, how could Confucius have avoided meeting him? Zengzi said, ‘Hunching your shoulders and smiling to flatter someone is harder than hoeing in the summer heat.’ Zilu said, ‘I do not know how a man can speak to someone with whom he does not agree while watching his own face grow red.’ From this you can see how a noble person takes care of his character.”

6.8 Dai Yingzhi said, “We cannot introduce a one-tenth tax and remove taxes at the border and market this year. Could we reduce them now and wait until next year to abolish them altogether?”
Mencius said, “Suppose a man stole a chicken from his neighbor every day. Someone told him, ‘That is not how a noble person behaves.’ The man replied, ‘Let me steal fewer. I will steal one chicken a month, then stop next year.’ If you know something is wrong, stop at once. Why wait until next year?”

6.9 Gongduzi said, “People outside our circle all say you like to argue. May I ask why?”
Mencius replied, “Do I like to argue? I have no choice. The world has existed for a long time and has gone through periods of order and disorder. In Yao's time the rivers flowed out of their channels and flooded the central states. Snakes and dragons lived there, and people had no safe homes. Some nested in trees; others lived in caves on high ground. The Book of Documents says, ‘The floodwaters alarm us.’ These were the great floods. Yao sent Yu to manage them. Yu dug channels to drain water to the sea and drove snakes and dragons into the marshes. The rivers then flowed in their channels: the Yangtze, Huai, Yellow River, and Han. Once the dangers of flood were removed and the wild animals that harmed people disappeared, people could settle on level land.
“After Yao and Shun died, the sages' Way declined. Cruel rulers appeared one after another, tearing down homes to make ponds, so people had nowhere to live; they turned farmland into parks, so people lacked food and clothes. Bad teachings and violent conduct arose too. As parks, flooded land, and marshes spread, wild animals returned. By Zhou's time the world was in great disorder again. The Duke of Zhou helped King Wu punish Zhou and attack Yan; they spent three years defeating its ruler. They pursued Fei Lian to the edge of the sea and killed him. They destroyed fifty states and drove away tigers, leopards, rhinos, and elephants. The whole world rejoiced. The Book of Documents says, ‘How brilliant were King Wen's plans! How well King Wu carried on his work! They opened the way for us, their descendants, keeping everything right and sound.’
“When the age declined and the Way grew faint, bad teachings and violent conduct returned. Ministers killed their rulers, and sons killed their fathers. Confucius was alarmed and wrote the Spring and Autumn Annals. Recording such judgments is the Son of Heaven's work. Confucius therefore said, ‘It will be the Spring and Autumn Annals that makes people understand me, and the Spring and Autumn Annals that makes them blame me.’
“No sage king has arisen. The lords act as they please, and private thinkers spread claims without restraint. The teachings of Yang Zhu and Mozi fill the world. Anyone who speaks follows either Yang or Mozi. Yang's teaching puts himself first; that means he recognizes no ruler. Mozi teaches equal love for everyone; that means he recognizes no father. To have no father and no ruler is to be an animal. Gongming Yi said, ‘There is rich meat in the kitchen and fat horses in the stable, while the people look hungry and bodies of the starved lie in the fields. This is leading animals to eat people.’ If Yang's and Mozi's ways do not stop, Confucius's Way will not be clear. Bad teachings will deceive the people and block kindness and rightness. If kindness and rightness are blocked, people will lead animals to eat other people and will eventually eat one another. I fear this, so I defend the ancient sages' Way, reject Yang and Mozi, and drive out their excessive claims to keep bad teachings from spreading. They arise in people's hearts and harm their actions; expressed in actions, they harm government. If a sage appeared again, he would not change what I say.
“Yu brought the floods under control and peace to the world; the Duke of Zhou dealt with the border peoples and drove off wild beasts so people could live securely; Confucius completed the Spring and Autumn Annals so rebellious ministers and criminal sons were afraid. The Book of Songs says, ‘He struck the Rong and Di and chastised Jing and Shu; no one dared resist us.’ People who recognize neither father nor ruler are the sort the Duke of Zhou fought. I too want to set people's hearts right, end bad teachings, resist wrongful actions, and drive away extravagant claims, carrying on the work of those three sages. Do I like arguing? I have no choice. Anyone who can argue against Yang and Mozi is a follower of the sages.”

6.10 Kuang Zhang asked, “Isn't Chen Zhongzi a genuinely upright man? When he lived in Wuling, he went without food for three days, until he could hear nothing and see nothing. There was a plum on a tree beside the well, more than half eaten by grubs. He crawled over to eat it, and only after swallowing it three times could he hear and see again.”
Mencius said, “Among the men of Qi I would certainly count Zhongzi as outstanding. Even so, how can he be genuinely upright? To follow his principles fully, he would have to be an earthworm. An earthworm eats dry soil above and drinks groundwater below. Was the house Zhongzi lived in built by Bo Yi, or was it built by the robber Zhi? Was the grain he ate grown by Bo Yi, or by the robber Zhi? We cannot know.”
“What does that matter? He makes sandals, his wife twists hemp fibers into thread, and they trade their work for food.”
“Zhongzi comes from a family of high rank in Qi. His brother Dai receives a salary of ten thousand measures from Gai. Zhongzi thinks his brother's salary is wrongfully earned and will not eat from it; he thinks his brother's house is wrongfully owned and will not live in it. He left his brother and mother and settled in Wuling. One day he came home and saw that someone had given his brother a live goose. He frowned and said, ‘What is the use of that honking thing?’ Later his mother killed the goose and gave him some to eat. His brother returned from outside and said, ‘That is the meat of the honking bird.’ Zhongzi went out and vomited it. He would not eat what his mother served him but ate what his wife served; he would not live in his brother's house but lived in Wuling. Can he really follow his own principles to the end? A man like Zhongzi could do so only by becoming an earthworm.”

### Book 4A · Li Lou, Part One

7.1 Mencius said, “Even with Li Lou's sharp eyesight and Master Gongshu's skill, you cannot make accurate squares and circles without compasses and carpenter's squares. Even with Shi Kuang's excellent hearing, you cannot tune the five notes without the six pitch pipes. Even the Way of Yao and Shun cannot bring peace and order to the world without kind government. Some rulers today have kind hearts and a reputation for kindness, yet their people receive no benefits and later generations cannot follow their example. That is because they do not practice the ancient kings' Way. Thus, good intentions alone are not enough to govern, and rules alone cannot put themselves into practice. The Book of Songs says, ‘He made no mistakes and forgot nothing; he followed the old standards.’ No one has gone wrong by following the ancient kings' rules. The sages used their eyesight as far as they could, then devised compass, square, level, and line, producing inexhaustible standards for roundness, squareness, flatness, and straightness. They used their hearing as far as they could, then devised the six pitch pipes to tune the five notes, producing an inexhaustible guide. They thought as hard as they could and then established government that could not bear to see people suffer, extending kindness over the whole world. That is why I say: to build high, use a hill; to build low, use a valley. Can government be called wise if it does not draw on the ancient kings' Way? Only kind people should hold high positions. If an unkind person holds high office, he spreads his wrongs among the people. Those above have no guiding principles; those below have no rules to follow. The court does not trust the Way, and craftsmen do not trust measurements. Officials violate rightness, ordinary people break laws, and it is only luck if the state survives. So I say: damaged walls or too few weapons and suits of armor are not a state's true disaster. Fields left uncultivated and wealth not accumulated are not its true danger. When those above ignore proper conduct and those below receive no education, harmful people arise and the state will soon fall. The Book of Songs says, ‘When Heaven is shaking us, do not be so careless.’ Carelessness here means lazy complacency. To serve a ruler without rightness, to enter or leave office without proper conduct, and to criticize the ancient kings' Way when speaking is lazy complacency. So I say: to demand hard things of a ruler is respect; to present what is good and shut out what is bad is devotion; to say, ‘My ruler cannot do it,’ is to betray him.”

7.2 Mencius said, “Compasses and squares are the highest standards for circles and squares. Sages are the highest standard for human relationships. If you want to be a ruler, fulfill the ruler's responsibilities; if you want to be a minister, fulfill a minister's. For both, simply follow Yao and Shun. If you do not serve your ruler as Shun served Yao, you do not respect your ruler. If you do not govern people as Yao did, you harm your people. Confucius said, ‘There are only two ways: kindness and unkindness.’ If a ruler abuses his people severely, he is killed and his state destroyed. If he abuses them less severely, his life is endangered and his state loses territory. He receives a name like ‘You’ or ‘Li,’ and even dutiful children and loving grandchildren cannot change that name after a hundred generations. The Book of Songs says, ‘The warning to Yin is not far away: it lies in the age of Xia.’ This is what it means.”

7.3 Mencius said, “The three dynasties gained the world through kindness and lost it through unkindness. States rise and fall, survive and perish for the same reason. An unkind Son of Heaven cannot keep the world within the four seas; an unkind lord cannot keep his state and its altars; an unkind high official cannot protect his family's ancestral temples; and an unkind man of service or ordinary person cannot keep his own body safe. To hate death and ruin while enjoying unkindness is like hating drunkenness while forcing yourself to drink.”

7.4 Mencius said, “If you care for someone but that person does not feel close to you, examine your kindness. If you govern people but they are not well governed, examine your wisdom. If you treat someone with proper conduct but receive no answer in kind, examine your respect. When anything you do fails, look for the reason in yourself. Put yourself in order, and the world will come to you. The Book of Songs says, ‘Always think how to meet Heaven's command, and seek many blessings for yourself.’”

7.5 Mencius said, “People commonly speak of ‘the world, the state, and the family.’ The world's foundation is the state, the state's foundation is the family, and the family's foundation is the individual.”

7.6 Mencius said, “Governing is not difficult: do not offend the leading families. What those families admire, the whole state will admire. What the state admires, the whole world will admire. Then the ruler's moral teaching will spread widely beyond the four seas.”

7.7 Mencius said, “When the Way prevails in the world, people of lesser virtue serve those of greater virtue and the less worthy serve the more worthy. When it does not prevail, smaller states serve larger states and weaker ones serve stronger ones. These are conditions set by Heaven. Those who adapt to Heaven survive; those who oppose it perish. Duke Jing of Qi said, ‘If I can neither give orders to others nor accept them, I will have no relations left.’ With tears in his eyes, he sent his daughter in marriage to Wu. Small states today imitate the great ones but are ashamed to accept their commands. That is like a student who is ashamed to accept his first teacher's instructions. If they are ashamed, they should learn from King Wen instead. If a great state learned from King Wen, it could govern the world in five years; a small state could do so in seven. The Book of Songs says, ‘The descendants of Shang were countless. But when the Lord on High issued his command, they became subject to Zhou. Being subject to Zhou shows that Heaven's mandate does not last forever. The able men of Yin brought ceremonial offerings at Zhou's capital.’ Confucius said, ‘Numbers cannot defeat kindness! If a state's ruler loves kindness, he will have no enemy in the world.’ To want no enemies without practicing kindness is like holding something hot and refusing to wash your hands. The Book of Songs says, ‘Who can hold something hot without going to wash?’”

7.8 Mencius said, “Can you reason with an unkind ruler? He feels safe in danger, sees advantage in disaster, and enjoys doing what will ruin him. If you could reason with unkind rulers, why would any state or family ever be destroyed? A child once sang, ‘When the Canglang's water is clear, I can wash my hat strings in it; when its water is muddy, I can wash my feet in it.’ Confucius said, ‘Listen, children! When the water is clear, it washes hat strings; when muddy, it washes feet. It brings that treatment on itself.’ A person first acts in ways that invite insults before others insult him. A family first undermines itself before others destroy it. A state first attacks itself before others attack it. The Book of Tai Jia says, ‘Disasters sent by Heaven can still be escaped; disasters you bring on yourself leave no way to survive.’ That is what it means.”

7.9 Mencius said, “Jie and Zhou lost the world because they lost the people; they lost the people because they lost the people's hearts. Here is how to gain the world: gain the people and you gain the world. Here is how to gain the people: win their hearts and you gain the people. Here is how to win their hearts: gather and provide the things they want, and do not impose the things they hate. People turn to a kind ruler as water flows downhill or animals run to open ground. Otters drive fish toward deep pools; hawks drive birds toward thick woods. Jie and Zhou drove the people toward Tang and King Wu. If one ruler in the world today loved kindness, all the other lords would drive the people to him. Even if he did not wish to be king, he could not avoid it. Anyone today who wants to be king is like a person with a seven-year illness looking for three-year-old dried mugwort. If he has not stored any, he will never find it. If a ruler does not set his heart on kindness, he will face worry and shame for the rest of his life, ending in death and destruction. The Book of Songs says, ‘How can it end well? Together they sink.’ That is what it means.”

7.10 Mencius said, “You cannot discuss anything with someone who harms himself; you cannot accomplish anything with someone who gives up on himself. To speak against proper conduct and rightness is to harm yourself. To say, ‘I cannot live by kindness and follow rightness,’ is to give up on yourself. Kindness is a person's safe home; rightness is the proper road. To leave a safe home empty and not live in it, to abandon the proper road and not follow it—how sad!”

7.11 Mencius said, “The Way is nearby, but people look for it far away. Its work is easy, but people look for it in difficult things. Let everyone care for their parents and respect their elders, and the world will be at peace.”

7.12 Mencius said, “If someone in a lower position cannot win the trust of those above, he cannot govern the people. There is a way to win that trust: unless your friends trust you, those above will not trust you. There is a way to win your friends' trust: unless your parents are pleased with how you serve them, your friends will not trust you. There is a way to please your parents: unless you examine yourself and find yourself sincere, you will not please them. There is a way to become sincere: unless you understand what is good, you cannot be sincere. So sincerity is Heaven's Way, and striving to be sincere is the human way. No one has ever been completely sincere without moving others; no one who lacks sincerity has been able to move others.”

7.13 Mencius said, “Bo Yi fled Zhou and lived by the North Sea. When he heard that King Wen had arisen, he said, ‘Why not go to him? I hear the lord of the west cares well for the old.’ The Grand Duke fled Zhou and lived by the East Sea. Hearing that King Wen had arisen, he too said, ‘Why not go to him? I hear the lord of the west cares well for the old.’ These two elders were the greatest elders in the world. By winning them over, King Wen won the fathers of the world. Where would their children go, if the fathers came to him? If any lord practiced King Wen's government, he would govern the world within seven years.”

7.14 Mencius said, “Ran Qiu was steward to the Ji family. Instead of changing their conduct for the better, he doubled the grain he collected from the people. Confucius said, ‘Qiu is no follower of mine. Pupils, you may beat the drum and condemn him.’ From this we can see that Confucius rejected anyone who enriched a ruler who would not govern kindly. How much more would he reject someone who fought aggressively for such a ruler? In a war for land, the dead fill the fields; in a war for a city, they fill the city. This amounts to feeding human flesh to the land. No death penalty is severe enough for this crime. Those skilled at war deserve the worst punishment, those who form military alliances between lords the next, and those who clear waste land and claim new fields the next.”

7.15 Mencius said, “Nothing in a person reveals more than the eyes. The eyes cannot hide wrong within. When someone has an honest heart, the eyes are clear. When the heart is dishonest, the eyes grow clouded. Listen to what a person says and look into his eyes. How could he hide from you?”

7.16 Mencius said, “A respectful person does not insult others; a moderate person does not take what belongs to others. A ruler who insults and robs his people, fearing only that they may not obey him, cannot be respectful or moderate. Can a show of pleasant speech and smiles really count as respect and moderation?”

7.17 Chunyu Kun asked, “Is it proper conduct that men and women do not touch when passing things to each other?”
“Yes,” said Mencius.
“If your brother's wife were drowning, would you give her your hand?”
“Anyone who would not help his brother's wife when she was drowning would be a wolf. Not touching when passing things between men and women is proper conduct. Helping a drowning sister-in-law with your hand is a matter of judging the situation.”
“The world is drowning now, but you do not give it your hand. Why?”
“When the world is drowning, you rescue it with the Way. When a sister-in-law is drowning, you rescue her with your hand. Do you want me to rescue the world with my hand?”

7.18 Gongsun Chou asked, “Why does a noble person not teach his own son?”
Mencius said, “The situation does not allow it. Teaching requires correction. If correction does not work, the father grows angry. The son's response will hurt him: ‘Father teaches me what is right but does not do what is right himself.’ Then father and son hurt each other, and that is bad. People of old exchanged sons to teach them. Father and son should not demand perfection from each other. Demanding it drives them apart, and nothing could be more unfortunate.”

7.19 Mencius said, “What is the most important service? Serving your parents. What is the most important thing to safeguard? Your own character. I have heard of someone keeping his character intact and serving his parents, but never of someone losing his character and still being able to serve his parents. All service matters, but service to parents is the foundation. Everything needs safeguarding, but safeguarding your character is the foundation. When Zengzi cared for his father Zeng Xi, he always had wine and meat for him. Before clearing the table, he always asked whom to give the leftovers to. If his father asked whether any remained, he always said, ‘Yes.’ After Zeng Xi died, Zeng Yuan cared for Zengzi and always provided wine and meat, but before clearing the table he never asked whom to give the leftovers to. If Zengzi asked whether any remained, he said, ‘There is none,’ because he meant to serve it again. That is feeding a parent's body and appetites. Zengzi, by contrast, cared for his father's wishes. Serving parents as Zengzi did is right.”

7.20 Mencius said, “It is not enough to argue with the people or find fault with government measures. Only a great person can correct what is wrong in a ruler's heart. If the ruler is kind, everyone is kind; if the ruler does what is right, everyone does what is right; if the ruler acts properly, everyone acts properly. Correct the ruler, and the state is put in order.”

7.21 Mencius said, “There is praise you did not expect and criticism when you sought to do everything perfectly.”

7.22 Mencius said, “People speak so carelessly because no one calls them to account.”

7.23 Mencius said, “The trouble with people is that they like to set themselves up as teachers of others.”

7.24 Yue Zheng traveled to Qi with Zi Ao. When Yue Zheng visited Mencius, Mencius said, “So you have finally come to see me?”
“Why do you speak to me like that, teacher?”
“How many days have you been here?”
“Since yesterday.”
“Since yesterday? Then surely I was right to say that.”
“I had not yet found lodging.”
“Have you heard it said, ‘First find lodging, then go to visit your elder’?”
“I was wrong,” said Yue Zheng.

7.25 Mencius said to Yue Zheng, “You followed Zi Ao here just to get food and drink. I did not expect someone who studied the ancient Way to use it to get meals.”

7.26 Mencius said, “There are three ways of failing to respect one's parents. Having no descendant is the greatest. Shun married without telling his parents so that he would not remain without a descendant. Noble people regard that as if he had told them.”

7.27 Mencius said, “What kindness really means is serving your parents. What rightness really means is respecting your older brothers. What wisdom really means is knowing these two things and not leaving them. What proper conduct really means is giving them the right form and limits. What music really means is taking joy in them. When joy is felt it grows; when it grows, how can it stop? And when it cannot stop, you find your feet stepping and your hands dancing without even knowing it.”

7.28 Mencius said, “Only Shun looked on the whole world's delight at coming to him as if it were no more than a blade of grass. If you cannot win your parents' approval, you cannot be a fully human person; if you cannot follow your parents' wishes, you cannot be a good child. Shun did everything he could to serve his father Gusou, until Gusou was pleased. When Gusou was pleased, the world changed. When Gusou was pleased, the relations of fathers and sons throughout the world were set right. This is what it means to have the greatest respect for your parents.”

### Book 4B · Li Lou, Part Two

8.1 Mencius said, “Shun was born in Zhufeng, moved to Fuxia, and died at Mingtiao. He was a man of the eastern border. King Wen was born in Qizhou and died in Biying. He was a man of the western border. They lived more than a thousand li apart and more than a thousand years apart. But when they could put their plans into effect in the central states, their work matched as closely as two halves of a tally. Earlier and later sages followed one standard.”

8.2 Zichan governed Zheng and used his own carriage to ferry people across the Zhen and Wei rivers. Mencius said, “That was kind, but he did not understand government. If he had built footbridges in the eleventh month and bridges for carriages in the twelfth, people would not have had trouble crossing. A noble person puts government in order and may then even clear people from the road when he travels. How could he ferry every person across? A ruler who tries to please everyone individually will not have enough hours in the day.”

8.3 Mencius told King Xuan of Qi, “If a ruler treats his ministers as his hands and feet, they will treat him as their heart and belly. If he treats them as dogs and horses, they will treat him like any other person. If he treats them like dirt and weeds, they will treat him as an enemy.”
The king asked, “Proper conduct requires mourning a former ruler. What must he do to deserve mourning?”
Mencius replied, “He listens to his ministers' advice and acts on it, and his kindness reaches the people. If a minister must leave, he sends someone to accompany him to the border and informs the ruler of the place where he is going. Only after the man has been gone three years without returning does he take back his land and home. These are three forms of proper treatment. If a ruler does all this, his former minister mourns him. But now a minister's advice is ignored, his words go unheard, and the people receive no kindness. If he needs to leave, his ruler has him seized, makes trouble for him in the state where he goes, and takes his land and home on the very day he leaves. That is how an enemy behaves. Why mourn an enemy?”

8.4 Mencius said, “If a ruler kills a man of service who is innocent, his senior officials may leave him. If he executes an ordinary person who is innocent, his men of service may move elsewhere.”

8.5 Mencius said, “If a ruler is kind, everyone will be kind. If a ruler does what is right, everyone will do what is right.”

8.6 Mencius said, “A great person does not do things that look like proper conduct but are not, or things that look right but are not.”

8.7 Mencius said, “People of sound judgment nurture those who lack it, and talented people nurture those who lack talent. That is why people are glad to have worthy fathers and older brothers. If people of sound judgment rejected those who lacked it, and the talented rejected those without talent, there would be less than an inch separating the worthy from the unworthy.”

8.8 Mencius said, “A person must be able to refuse to do some things before he can achieve other things.”

8.9 Mencius said, “If you speak of another person's faults, what will you do about the trouble it brings afterward?”

8.10 Mencius said, “Confucius never took things too far.”

8.11 Mencius said, “A great person does not insist on keeping every promise or carrying through every action, but follows what is right.”

8.12 Mencius said, “A great person does not lose the heart he had as a small child.”

8.13 Mencius said, “Caring for living parents is not enough to qualify as a great matter; only giving them a fitting burial can do so.”

8.14 Mencius said, “A noble person studies the Way deeply because he wants to understand it for himself. When he reaches that understanding, he feels secure in it. When he feels secure, he draws on it deeply. When he draws on it deeply, he finds its source wherever he turns. That is why he wants to understand it for himself.”

8.15 Mencius said, “We study widely and explain things in detail so that we can return to explaining what is essential in simple terms.”

8.16 Mencius said, “No one has ever won people's willing obedience by using his own goodness to dominate them. Care for them with goodness, and only then can you win the world's willing obedience. No one has ever ruled as a true king without the world obeying from the heart.”

8.17 Mencius said, “Words with no substance are not worth discussing. Their real harm is that they keep worthy people out of sight.”

8.18 Xu Zi said, “Confucius often praised water, saying, ‘Water! Water!’ What did he value in it?”
Mencius replied, “A spring flows steadily day and night. It fills each hollow before flowing on, until it reaches the four seas. That is what something with a source does, and that is what Confucius valued. But if water has no source and comes only from rain gathered in the seventh or eighth month, ditches and drains may fill, yet you can stand and wait for them to dry out. A noble person is ashamed when his reputation exceeds the truth.”

8.19 Mencius said, “There is only a little that sets humans apart from animals. Ordinary people abandon it, while noble people keep it. Shun understood the many kinds of things and saw clearly into human relationships. His actions came from kindness and rightness; he did not force himself to practice kindness and rightness.”

8.20 Mencius said, “Yu disliked strong wine and loved good advice. Tang kept to the middle way and appointed worthy people regardless of their origins. King Wen looked on the people as though they were injured and sought the Way as though he had not yet seen it. King Wu did not neglect those nearby or forget those far away. The Duke of Zhou considered how to bring together the work of these three kings and carry out these four practices. Whenever he saw a difficulty, he looked up and thought, continuing through the night. If he found an answer, he sat waiting for dawn.”

8.21 Mencius said, “When the traces of true kings disappeared, the Book of Songs came to an end. After the Songs came to an end, the Spring and Autumn Annals appeared. Jin's Record of Chariots, Chu's Taowu, and Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals are the same kind of work. They deal with events in the days of Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin, written down by historians. Confucius said, ‘I took it on myself to supply the moral judgments.’”

8.22 Mencius said, “The influence of a noble person ends after five generations, and the influence of an ordinary person does too. I could not be a disciple of Confucius, but I have learned privately from people who passed on his teaching.”

8.23 Mencius said, “When you could take something but could also leave it, taking it may hurt your honesty. When you could give something but could also keep it, giving it may hurt your generosity. When you could die but could also live, dying may hurt your courage.”

8.24 Pang Meng learned archery from Yi. After mastering everything Yi knew, he decided Yi was the only archer in the world better than he was, so he killed him. Mencius said, “Yi bore some blame too.”
Gongming Yi asked, “Surely Yi was innocent?”
“I said only that his blame was small. How could he be wholly innocent? The people of Zheng sent Zizhuo Ruzi to invade Wei, and Wei sent Yugong Zhisi after him. Zizhuo said, ‘My illness has returned today, and I cannot hold my bow. I am going to die!’ He asked his driver, ‘Who is pursuing us?’ The driver said, ‘Yugong Zhisi.’ Zizhuo said, ‘Then I will live.’ His driver asked, ‘Yugong Zhisi is a fine archer of Wei. Why do you say you will live?’ Zizhuo said, ‘Yugong learned archery from Yin Gong Zhi Ta, and Yin learned it from me. Yin is an honest man, and anyone he chooses to teach must be honest too.’ Yugong arrived and asked, ‘Why are you not holding your bow?’ Zizhuo said, ‘My illness has returned and I cannot hold it.’ Yugong said, ‘I learned archery from Yin Gong Zhi Ta, who learned from you. I cannot bear to use your own skill to harm you. But I am carrying out my ruler's orders today and cannot simply abandon them.’ He drew out arrows, struck them on a carriage wheel to remove their metal heads, shot four arrows, and then returned.”

8.25 Mencius said, “If beautiful Xi Shi were covered in filth, everyone would hold their nose while passing her. But even an unattractive person, after fasting and washing, can make offerings to the Lord on High.”

8.26 Mencius said, “When people discuss human nature, they should talk about what happens as a matter of course. Such regular patterns follow what is natural and easy. What I dislike about cleverness is its tendency to force things. If clever people acted as Yu did when directing the floodwaters, there would be nothing to dislike about their cleverness. Yu directed water by letting it follow its natural course. If clever people likewise let things follow their course, their cleverness would be great. The sky is high and the stars are far away, but if you investigate their regular movements, you can sit and calculate the winter solstice a thousand years ahead.”

8.27 Gongxing Zi lost a son, and the minister of the right came to offer condolences. When he entered, some people came up and spoke to him, and others went to where he was standing and spoke to him there. Mencius did not speak to the minister. The minister was displeased and said, “All the other gentlemen have spoken with me, Wang Huan, but Mencius alone has not. He looks down on me.” Hearing this, Mencius said, “Proper conduct says that at court we should not cross other people's places to speak, or go beyond the steps assigned to us to exchange greetings. I was trying to act properly. Isn't it odd that Zi Ao thinks I was slighting him?”

8.28 Mencius said, “What makes a noble person different from others is what he keeps in his heart. He keeps kindness and proper conduct there. A kind person cares for others; a person who acts properly respects others. Those who care for others are usually cared for in return; those who respect others are usually respected in return. Suppose someone treats a noble person rudely and against all reason. The noble person examines himself: ‘I must have failed in kindness or proper conduct. Why else would this happen?’ Suppose he examines himself and finds that he has been kind and respectful, but the other person is still rude. He examines himself again: ‘I must not have been sincere.’ Suppose he finds that he has been sincere and the person remains rude. He says, ‘This person is simply unreasonable. How is someone like that different from an animal? Why should I be troubled by an animal?’ So a noble person has lifelong concerns but not a day's anxious fear. Here is his concern: ‘Shun was a person, and I am a person. Shun became a model for the world, to be followed by later ages, yet I am still no more than an ordinary villager.’ That is worth worrying about. What can he do? Become like Shun. As for the things that might cause a noble person immediate fear, there are none: he does nothing unkind and acts in no way that violates proper conduct. If a day's trouble comes, it does not make him afraid.”

8.29 Yu and Hou Ji lived when the world was at peace, yet Yu passed his door three times without going in. Confucius admired this. Yan Yuan lived in troubled times in a poor alley. With one basket of food and one gourd of drink, he kept his joy when others could not bear such hardship. Confucius admired him too. Mencius said, “Yu, Hou Ji, and Yan Yuan followed the same Way. Yu thought that if someone in the world drowned, it was as though he had drowned the person himself. Hou Ji thought that if someone was hungry, it was as though he had caused the hunger. That is why they worked so urgently. If the three of them had changed places, each would have acted as the others did. If people in your own house were fighting, it would be right to run to stop them even with your hair loose and your cap tied on in haste. But if neighbors in your village were fighting, running out like that would be foolish. You could even shut your door.”

8.30 Gongduzi said, “Everyone in the state calls Kuang Zhang disrespectful to his parents. Why do you spend time with him and treat him with respect?”
Mencius said, “People generally speak of five ways of failing one's parents: being too lazy to work and support them; gambling and drinking instead of supporting them; loving wealth, wife, and children while neglecting them; indulging desires and bringing shame on them; and loving violence and fighting, putting them in danger. Has Kuang Zhang done any of these? He and his father tried to correct each other's behavior and could no longer get along. Friends can demand good conduct from each other; between father and son it gravely damages affection. Do you think Zhang did not want to live with his wife and children and be with his mother? Because he had offended his father, he could not come near him. He sent away his wife and kept his son apart, and did not let them support him for the rest of his life. He thought that not doing so would make his offense worse. That is the whole story of Zhang.”

8.31 Zengzi was living in Wucheng when raiders from Yue approached. Someone said, “The raiders are coming. Why don't you leave?” Zengzi said, “Do not let people stay in my rooms and damage my firewood.” When the raiders retreated, he said, “Repair my walls and roof. I am returning.” Zengzi returned after they left. People around him said, “The people here treated him faithfully and respectfully. Yet when raiders came, he was the first to leave, setting an example for the people, and he returned only after they withdrew. Perhaps he was wrong.” Shenyou Xing said, “You do not understand. Once, when Shenyou's family suffered from the Fu Chu raiders, seventy of the Master's followers stayed out of the trouble.”
Zisi was living in Wei when raiders from Qi came. Someone asked, “The raiders are coming. Why don't you leave?” Zisi answered, “If I, Ji, leave, who will stay to guard the city with the ruler?”
Mencius said, “Zengzi and Zisi followed the same Way. Zengzi was a teacher, like a father or elder brother. Zisi was a minister, of lower standing. If they had exchanged places, each would have acted as the other did.”

8.32 Chu Zi asked, “Has the king sent someone to watch you because you are really different from other people?”
Mencius replied, “How am I different from anyone else? Yao and Shun were like other people too.”

8.33 A man of Qi lived with a wife and a concubine. Whenever he went out, he came home full of wine and meat. When his wife asked whom he had dined with, he said it was always rich and powerful people. She told the concubine, “He always returns full of wine and meat and says he eats with the rich and powerful, but not one of them has ever visited us. I will find out where he goes.” She got up early and secretly followed him. He wandered through the town without a single person stopping to speak to him. At last he went to the graves east of the city, begged leftovers from people making offerings, and when that was not enough, looked for others. That was how he filled himself up. His wife returned and told the concubine, “A husband is someone we expect to rely on for life, but look at ours!” They spoke bitterly about him and wept together in the courtyard. The husband knew nothing of this. He came in from outside looking pleased with himself and acted arrogantly before his wife and concubine. From a noble person's point of view, very few people who pursue wealth, rank, profit, and advancement do so in ways that would not make their wives and concubines ashamed and bring them to tears.”

### Book 5A · Wan Zhang, Part One

9.1 Wan Zhang asked, “Shun went out into the fields and cried out to the wide sky. Why did he cry?”
Mencius replied, “He was grieving because he longed for his parents' love.”
Wan Zhang said, “If your parents love you, you are happy and never forget it; if they dislike you, you work hard but do not resent them. Did Shun resent his parents?”
Mencius said, “Chang Xi once asked Gongming Gao, ‘I understand why Shun went into the fields, but I do not understand why he cried out to the wide sky and called to his parents.’ Gongming Gao answered, ‘You cannot understand this.’ Gongming Gao knew that a child who respected his parents could not be so indifferent as to say, ‘I plow the fields with all my strength and do my duty as a child. If my parents do not love me, that is no concern of mine.’ The emperor sent his nine sons and two daughters, as well as officials, cattle and sheep, and full barns, to serve Shun as he worked among the fields. Many men of service throughout the world came to him, and the emperor was about to hand him the world. But because he could not please his parents, Shun felt like a poor man with nowhere to turn. Being admired by men of service is something people want, but it did not relieve his worry. People want beautiful partners: he married the emperor's two daughters, but that did not relieve it. People want wealth: he had the riches of the whole world, but that did not relieve it. People want rank: he reached the rank of Son of Heaven, but that did not relieve it. Neither public approval, beautiful partners, wealth, nor rank eased his worry. Only pleasing his parents could do that. When young, people long for their parents. When they come to desire romance, they long for attractive young people. With a wife and children, they long for their family. Once they hold office, they long for their ruler's approval; if they cannot get it, they grow anxious. Someone who cares for his parents completely longs for them all his life. I have seen this longing at the age of fifty in the great Shun.”

9.2 Wan Zhang asked, “The Book of Songs says, ‘If you marry a wife, what must you do? Tell your parents first.’ If that is true, no one should have obeyed it more than Shun. Why did Shun marry without telling his parents?”
Mencius replied, “If he had told them, he could not have married. Marriage between a man and a woman is an important human relationship. Telling his parents would have meant giving up that relationship and resenting them, so he did not tell them.”
“I understand why Shun did not tell them. Why did the emperor give Shun his daughters in marriage without telling Shun's parents?”
“The emperor also knew that if he told them, the marriage could not take place.”
Wan Zhang said, “Shun's parents sent him to repair a barn, removed the ladder, and his father Gusou set the barn on fire. They sent him to deepen a well, and when he climbed out, they filled it in. His brother Xiang said, ‘It was my plan to bury our brother alive, so all his things are mine. Our parents can have his cattle, sheep, and barns. I will have his shields, spears, lute, and bow. His two wives will look after my room.’ Xiang went into Shun's home and found him playing his lute on his bed. ‘I was so worried about you,’ Xiang said, looking embarrassed. Shun said, ‘Then please help me govern these officials and people.’ Did Shun really not know Xiang had tried to kill him?”
“Of course he knew. When Xiang was worried, Shun worried; when Xiang was happy, Shun was happy.”
“Was Shun only pretending to be happy?”
“No. Once someone gave Zichan of Zheng a live fish. Zichan told a pond keeper to keep it in the pool. The keeper cooked and ate it. He reported, ‘When I first put it in, it looked weak. After a while it swam freely, then it darted away.’ Zichan said, ‘It has found its proper place! It has found its proper place!’ When the keeper went out, he said, ‘Who says Zichan is wise? I cooked and ate the fish, and he says it found its proper place!’ A noble person can be deceived in a believable way but cannot be fooled by something contrary to what is reasonable. Xiang came to Shun in the manner of a brother who loved him, so Shun sincerely believed him and rejoiced. How was that pretense?”

9.3 Wan Zhang asked, “Xiang spent his days trying to kill Shun. Why, when Shun became Son of Heaven, did he merely send Xiang away?”
Mencius replied, “Shun granted him a territory. Some people call that exile.”
Wan Zhang said, “Shun sent Gonggong away to Youzhou, exiled Huandou to Mount Chong, put the leader of the Three Miao to death at Sanwei, and executed Gun at Mount Yu. The whole world accepted the punishment of these four men, since they were cruel. Xiang was extremely cruel, yet Shun granted him Youbi. What had the people of Youbi done wrong? Is that how a kind man behaves: punishing others but granting his brother a territory?”
Mencius said, “A kind man does not store up anger against his younger brother or keep a grudge. He simply remains close to him and loves him. Because he is close to him, he wants him to have high rank; because he loves him, he wants him to be rich. Granting Xiang Youbi made him rich and honored. Could Shun have called himself close and loving if he was Son of Heaven while his brother was an ordinary man?”
“Then what do people mean when they say Xiang was exiled?”
“Xiang could not govern his territory. The Son of Heaven sent officials to govern it and collected its tribute, so some call it exile. How could Shun let Xiang abuse its people? But he wanted to see his brother often, so Xiang kept coming to visit. ‘Before tribute was due, the ruler came on official business to Youbi’: that is what the saying refers to.”

9.4 Xianqiu Meng asked, “A saying goes, ‘A man of great virtue cannot be treated as a minister by his ruler or as a son by his father.’ It says Shun faced south on the throne while Yao led the lords to face north and pay court to him, and Shun's father Gusou also faced north and paid court. When Shun saw his father, he looked distressed. Confucius supposedly said, ‘The world was in danger then, hanging by a thread!’ Is this account true?”
“No,” said Mencius. “These are not the words of a noble person but a tale from the country people east of Qi. Yao had grown old and Shun acted in his place. The Canon of Yao says, ‘Twenty-eight years later, Yao died. The people mourned as for a father or mother. For three years, music from the eight kinds of instruments fell silent throughout the four seas.’ Confucius said, ‘There cannot be two suns in the sky or two kings over the people.’ If Shun had already been Son of Heaven but then led all the lords in three years of mourning for Yao, there would have been two Sons of Heaven.”
Xianqiu Meng said, “I understand that Shun did not make Yao his minister. But the Book of Songs says, ‘All beneath the sky is the king's land, and everyone across that land is the king's subject.’ If Shun was Son of Heaven, why wasn't Gusou his subject?”
Mencius replied, “The song does not mean that. Its speaker works so hard for the king that he cannot support his parents. He says, ‘Everything is the king's work, yet I alone have to work so hard.’ When interpreting a song, do not let individual words obscure the sentence or the sentence obscure the poet's meaning. Use your understanding to reach that meaning. If you read only the words, the song Cloudy Han says, ‘Of Zhou's remaining people, not one was left.’ If you took that literally, Zhou would have had no survivors. The highest respect for parents is to honor them; the highest honor is to support them with the resources of the whole world. To be father of the Son of Heaven is the highest honor; to be supported by the whole world is the fullest support. The Book of Songs says, ‘Always think of respecting your parents; let that respect be your rule.’ This is what it means. The Book of Documents says, ‘He respectfully went to see Gusou, full of care and awe, and Gusou too became compliant.’ Does that sound as though a father could no longer treat Shun as his son?”

9.5 Wan Zhang asked, “Did Yao give the world to Shun?”
“No,” Mencius said. “The Son of Heaven cannot give the world to another person.”
“Then who gave it to Shun?”
“Heaven.”
“Did Heaven speak plainly and command him to take it?”
“No. Heaven does not speak; it shows its choice through deeds and events.”
“How?”
“The Son of Heaven can present a man to Heaven but cannot make Heaven give him the world. A lord can present a man to the Son of Heaven but cannot make him give the man a lordship; an official can present a man to a lord but cannot make him give the man an office. Yao presented Shun to Heaven, and Heaven accepted him. He displayed Shun before the people, and the people accepted him. That is why I say Heaven does not speak; it shows its choice through deeds and events.”
“How did Heaven accept his presentation and the people accept his display?”
“Yao put Shun in charge of offerings, and all the spirits received them: Heaven accepted him. Yao put him in charge of government, and the work was well done and the people lived peacefully: they accepted him. Heaven gave Shun the world, and the people gave it to him. That is why the Son of Heaven cannot give it to another person. Shun helped Yao for twenty-eight years. No human being could have arranged such an opportunity: Heaven did. When Yao died, Shun finished three years of mourning and moved south of the Southern River to avoid Yao's son. But the lords of the world went to pay court to Shun, not to Yao's son. Those bringing lawsuits went to Shun, not Yao's son. Singers sang of Shun, not Yao's son. That is why I say Heaven gave it to him. Only after that did Shun enter the central states and take the place of Son of Heaven. If he had stayed in Yao's palace and forced Yao's son aside, that would have been usurpation, not a gift from Heaven. The Great Oath says, ‘Heaven sees through the eyes of our people; Heaven hears through their ears.’ That is what it means.”

9.6 Wan Zhang asked, “Some say, ‘By Yu's time virtue had declined, and he handed power to his son instead of a worthy man.’ Is that true?”
“No,” said Mencius. “When Heaven gives power to a worthy man, it is given to him; when Heaven gives it to a son, it is given to the son. Shun presented Yu to Heaven for seventeen years. After Shun died and Yu finished mourning for three years, Yu went to Yangcheng to avoid Shun's son. The people followed Yu, just as after Yao's death they followed Shun instead of Yao's son. Yu presented Yi to Heaven for seven years. After Yu died and Yi finished three years of mourning, Yi went to the northern side of Mount Ji to avoid Yu's son. Those paying court or bringing lawsuits went not to Yi but to Qi, saying, ‘He is our ruler's son.’ Singers sang of Qi, not Yi, saying the same. Yao's son Danzhu was unworthy, and so was Shun's son. Shun helped Yao and Yu helped Shun for many years and benefited the people for a long time. Qi was worthy and could respectfully carry on Yu's work. Yi helped Yu for only a few years and had not benefited the people for long. Shun, Yu, and Yi spent different lengths of time in office; their sons differed in ability. Heaven determined that, not any human being. What happens though no one makes it happen is Heaven's doing; what comes though no one brings it about is destiny. For an ordinary man to come to rule the world, he must have virtue like Shun's or Yu's, and a Son of Heaven must present him. That is why Confucius did not rule the world. A ruler who inherits the world loses it only if Heaven rejects him, and then he must be like Jie or Zhou. That is why Yi, Yi Yin, and the Duke of Zhou did not rule the world. Yi Yin helped Tang rule the world. After Tang died, his son Tai Ding had not yet taken power; Wai Bing ruled for two years and Zhong Ren for four. Tai Jia overturned Tang's laws. Yi Yin sent him away to Tong for three years. Tai Jia regretted his wrongs and reproached himself. At Tong he practiced kindness, moved toward rightness, and listened to Yi Yin's instruction for three years; then he returned to Bo. The Duke of Zhou did not rule the world for the same reason Yi did not rule Xia and Yi Yin did not rule Yin. Confucius said, ‘In the age of Yao and Shun, rulers handed power to worthy men; Xia, Yin, and Zhou passed it down to heirs. The principle behind both was the same.’”

9.7 Wan Zhang asked, “Some say Yi Yin used his skill as a butcher and cook to get Tang's attention. Is it true?”
“No,” said Mencius. “Yi Yin farmed in the fields of Youxin and took pleasure in the Way of Yao and Shun. He would not even look at the income of the whole world or at a thousand teams of horses if accepting them violated rightness and the Way. If it violated rightness and the Way, he would neither give nor take a single small thing. Tang sent men with gifts to invite him. Yi Yin said calmly, ‘What do I need Tang's gifts for? I would rather remain in the fields and enjoy the Way of Yao and Shun.’ Tang sent invitations three times. Then Yi Yin changed his mind and said, ‘Instead of staying in the fields and enjoying the Way of Yao and Shun alone, why not help this ruler become a ruler like Yao or Shun and help these people become like the people of Yao and Shun? Why not see it happen myself? Heaven brings people into the world so that those who know first can inform those who do not yet know and those who understand first can enlighten those who do not yet understand. I am among the first of Heaven's people to understand. I will use this Way to enlighten them. If I do not, who will?’ He felt that if even one man or woman in the world had not received the benefits of Yao's and Shun's rule, it was as though he had pushed that person into a ditch himself. He took the world's welfare on his shoulders. So he went to Tang and urged him to attack Xia and save the people. I have never heard of someone setting others right by acting wrongly himself, much less of setting the world right by disgracing himself. Sages have acted in different ways: some lived far away, some nearby; some left, some stayed. In the end, all kept themselves free of wrong. I have heard that Yi Yin won Tang over with the Way of Yao and Shun, not with cooking. The Instructions of Yi say, ‘Heaven's punishment began in the palace of Mu; I began my work in Bo.’”

9.8 Wan Zhang asked, “Some say Confucius stayed with the sore doctor Yong Ju in Wei and with the attendant Ji Huan in Qi. Is that true?”
“No,” said Mencius. “People fond of gossip made it up. In Wei Confucius stayed with Yan Chouyou. The wife of Mizi and the wife of Zilu were sisters. Mizi told Zilu, ‘If Confucius stays with me, he can become a minister in Wei.’ Zilu told Confucius, who replied, ‘It depends on destiny.’ Confucius sought advancement according to proper conduct and left when rightness required it; whether he won office he left to destiny. To stay with Yong Ju or the attendant Ji Huan would have shown neither rightness nor belief in destiny. Confucius was not welcomed in Lu or Wei and came upon Huan, the marshal of Song, who tried to intercept and kill him. He went through Song in disguise. At that dangerous time he stayed with Sicheng Zhenzi, who was a minister of Marquis Zhou of Chen. I have heard that you can judge ministers close to a ruler by whom they receive as guests, and ministers from distant states by whose hospitality they accept. If Confucius had stayed with Yong Ju and Ji Huan, how could he have been Confucius?”

9.9 Wan Zhang asked, “Some say Baili Xi sold himself to a keeper of animals in Qin for five sheepskins. He fed cattle to attract the attention of Duke Mu of Qin. Is that true?”
“No,” said Mencius. “People fond of gossip made it up. Baili Xi was from Yu. Jin gave Yu the jade of Chuiji and a team of horses from Quchan to get passage through Yu and attack Guo. Gong Zhiqi advised against it. Baili Xi said nothing, since he knew the ruler of Yu would not listen, and left. He went to Qin when he was already seventy. If he did not know it would be demeaning to seek Duke Mu's favor by feeding cattle, could he be called wise? If he knew the ruler of Yu would not listen and chose not to advise him, could he be called unwise? He knew Yu was about to fall and left first: that was wise. In Qin he was appointed to office. He recognized that Duke Mu could work with him and helped him: that too was wise. As minister of Qin he made its ruler famous throughout the world and left achievements remembered by later ages. Could anyone without ability have done that? Even an ordinary man who cares for his reputation would not sell himself to win favor for his ruler. Would a worthy man do so?”

### Book 5B · Wan Zhang, Part Two

10.1 Mencius said, “Bo Yi would not look at anything ugly or listen to anything wrong. He would serve only a ruler he approved of and employ only people he approved of. He took office when the country was orderly and withdrew when it was in disorder. He could not bear to live where bad government came from or where unruly people stayed. He felt that spending time among ordinary villagers was like sitting in mud and ashes in court robes and a court cap. In Zhou's time he lived beside the North Sea, waiting for the world to become clean again. So when stubborn people hear of Bo Yi's example, they grow honest; when timid people hear it, they find a firm purpose.
“Yi Yin said, ‘What ruler is not worth serving? What people are not worth helping?’ He took office in orderly times and in disorderly times. He said, ‘Heaven brought forth these people so that those who know first might inform those who do not know, and those who understand first might enlighten those who do not. I am among the first of Heaven's people to understand, and I will use this Way to enlighten them.’ If even one man or woman had not benefited from the rule of Yao and Shun, he felt as though he had pushed that person into a ditch. He took responsibility for the whole world.
“Liuxia Hui was not ashamed to serve a corrupt ruler and did not refuse a low office. When promoted, he did not hide his ability and always followed his principles. When overlooked, he felt no resentment; when poor, he did not complain. He lived comfortably among the villagers and did not want to leave. ‘You are you, and I am I. Even if you undress and stand naked beside me, how could you make me dirty?’ So when narrow-minded people hear of Liuxia Hui's example, they grow generous; when cold people hear it, they grow warmer.
“When Confucius left Qi, he set out while his washed rice was still draining. When he left Lu, he said, ‘I will take my time.’ That was the right way to leave his home state. Confucius left quickly when it was right to leave quickly, stayed longer when it was right to stay, lived quietly when that was right, and took office when that was right.”
Mencius said, “Bo Yi was a sage marked by purity; Yi Yin was a sage marked by responsibility; Liuxia Hui was a sage marked by ease among others; and Confucius was a sage who acted at the right time. Confucius brought all their great achievements together. That is like beginning music with a bronze bell and bringing it to a close with a jade chime. The bell sets the pattern at the start, the jade chime completes it at the end. Beginning the pattern is the work of wisdom; completing it is the work of sagehood. Wisdom is like skill, and sagehood like strength. If you shoot at a target a hundred paces away, your strength carries the arrow there, but strength alone does not make it hit the target.”

10.2 Beigong Qi asked, “How did the Zhou royal house distribute ranks and salaries?”
Mencius said, “I cannot give you all the details. The lords disliked the system because it limited them, so they destroyed the records. But I have heard the general outline. Among the lords there were five ranks: the Son of Heaven; duke; marquis; earl; and viscount and baron together in the fifth rank. At court there were six ranks: ruler; high minister; senior official; upper man of service; middle man of service; and lower man of service. The Son of Heaven had a territory a thousand li square. Dukes and marquises each had a hundred li square, earls seventy, and viscounts and barons fifty: four sizes altogether. A ruler whose territory was smaller than fifty li could not appear at the Son of Heaven's court; he became a dependent of another lord. A minister to the Son of Heaven had land equal to a marquis, a senior official land equal to an earl, and a leading man of service land equal to a viscount or baron. In a large state a hundred li square, the ruler received ten times a minister's salary, the minister four times a senior official's, the senior official twice an upper man of service's, the upper man twice a middle man's, and the middle man twice a lower man's. The lower man received the same as an ordinary person in government service, enough to make up for not farming. In a middle-sized state seventy li square, the ruler received ten times a minister's salary, the minister three times a senior official's, the senior official twice an upper man of service's, the upper man twice a middle man's, and the middle man twice a lower man's. Again the lower man received the same as an ordinary person in government service, enough to make up for not farming. In a small state fifty li square, the ruler received ten times a minister's salary, the minister twice a senior official's, the senior official twice an upper man of service's, the upper man twice a middle man's, and the middle man twice a lower man's. Again the lower man received the same as an ordinary person in government service, enough to make up for not farming. Each farmer worked a hundred mu. When that land was well fertilized, a farmer in the highest category fed nine people; the next fed eight; the middle category fed seven; the next fed six; and the lowest fed five. The salaries of ordinary people in government service varied on the same scale.”

10.3 Wan Zhang asked, “What is friendship?”
Mencius replied, “Do not rely on your age, high position, or family when making friends. You make friends with another person's virtue, so you cannot bring status into it. Meng Xianzi, who headed a household with a hundred chariots, had five friends. Two were Yue Zhengqiu and Mu Zhong; I have forgotten the other three. When Xianzi was with them as friends, he did not act as head of a powerful family. If these five had seen him only as head of that family, they would not have been his friends. This is not limited to a household of a hundred chariots. The ruler of a small state can do the same. Duke Hui of Fei said, ‘I treat Zisi as a teacher, Yan Ban as a friend, and Wang Shun and Chang Xi as my servants.’ Nor is it limited to a small state's ruler. Duke Ping of Jin, when visiting Hai Tang, entered when told to enter, sat when told to sit, and ate when told to eat. Even if offered coarse grain and vegetable soup, he always ate his fill, for he did not dare do otherwise. But that was all: he did not share a position granted by Heaven with Hai Tang, give him a part in Heaven's governing duties, or share Heaven's salary with him. He respected a worthy man as an ordinary man of service might, not as a ruler should. When Shun visited the emperor, the emperor lodged his son-in-law in a second residence and hosted Shun at feasts; they took turns as host and guest. The Son of Heaven was friends with an ordinary man. When a person of lower status respects a superior, that is honoring rank. When a superior respects a person of lower status, that is honoring worth. Both acts follow the same principle.”

10.4 Wan Zhang asked, “What spirit should guide receiving gifts?”
“Respect,” Mencius said.
“Why is it called disrespectful to refuse a gift again and again?”
“If a person of high standing gives you something and you ask, ‘Did he obtain it rightly or wrongly?’ before accepting, that is disrespectful. So you do not refuse it.”
“Could you reject it in your heart rather than say so openly? You might think, ‘He took it wrongly from the people,’ and give another reason for refusing.”
“If he approaches you in the proper way and presents it according to proper conduct, Confucius would accept it.”
Wan Zhang asked, “Suppose a man robs people outside the city gate but approaches you properly and offers you a gift according to the forms. Could you accept what he stole?”
“No. The Announcement to Kang says, ‘Those who kill people and take their goods, fearing no death, are hated by everyone.’ Such people are executed without waiting to be taught better. Yin inherited this law from Xia and Zhou inherited it from Yin. No one objected. It is even more strongly enforced today. How could you accept a gift from a robber?”
“But the lords today take from their people in a way much like robbery. You say a noble person may accept a gift if it is presented properly. How can that be?”
“Do you think a true king, if one arose, would execute all today's lords as robbers, or would he first teach them and execute only those who did not change? To call everyone who takes what does not belong to him a robber is to extend the definition to its strictest possible limit. When Confucius held office in Lu, its people divided the game from their hunts by competing for it, and Confucius participated. If even that was acceptable, surely he could accept their ruler's gifts.”
“Then did Confucius not take office to practice the Way?”
“He did.”
“Then why take part in the competition for game?”
“He began by setting the lists of ritual vessels in order, so that food from everywhere was not brought in merely to fill out those lists.”
“Why did he not leave?”
“He treated this as a sign that his reforms might work. He left only when the sign offered enough hope for him to act but the ruler still would not act. That is why he never stayed anywhere for as long as three years. Confucius took office in three ways: when he saw an opportunity to put his Way into practice; when proper relations allowed it; and when a ruler simply provided for him. Under Ji Huanzi he saw a chance to act. Under Duke Ling of Wei he accepted proper relations. Under Duke Xiao of Wei he accepted the ruler's support.”

10.5 Mencius said, “A person does not take office because he is poor, though sometimes poverty is a reason. A person does not marry to gain support, though sometimes support is a reason. Someone taking office because of poverty should refuse a high rank and choose a low one, refuse a generous salary and choose a small one. What job is suitable if you choose a low post and small pay? Guarding a gate or beating the watchman's clapper. Confucius once supervised storehouses. He said, ‘It is enough to keep the accounts correct.’ He once oversaw livestock. He said, ‘It is enough that the cattle and sheep are strong and grow well.’ It is wrong to speak as though you hold a high position when you hold a low one. It is shameful to stand in a state's main court while the Way you believe in is not put into practice.”

10.6 Wan Zhang asked, “Why does a man of service not seek support from a lord?”
“He does not dare to,” said Mencius. “It is proper for a lord who has lost his state to seek shelter with another lord. It is not proper for a man of service to do so.”
“If a ruler gives him grain, does he accept it?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“A ruler naturally helps people in need among his subjects.”
“Why accept help but refuse a personal grant?”
“He does not dare take one.”
“Why not?”
“Gatekeepers and night watchmen have regular jobs in return for food from their ruler. To receive a gift from him without a regular job would be disrespectful.”
“He accepts a gift of grain, then. Can the ruler keep giving it regularly?”
“Duke Mu repeatedly asked after Zisi and sent him cooked meat in a ceremonial vessel. Eventually Zisi was displeased. He pointed the messenger toward the main gate, faced north, bowed twice with his head to the ground, and refused the gift. He said, ‘Now I know the ruler feeds me like a dog or horse!’ After that the duke did not keep sending food. Can a ruler be said to value worthy people if he likes them but can neither employ them nor support them properly?”
“How should a ruler support a noble person properly?”
“Let him first send a gift with an official command, which the noble person receives after bowing twice and touching his head to the ground. After that, let the keeper of his grain stores continue to supply grain and his cook continue to supply meat without announcing each gift as a new command. Zisi felt that sending a vessel of meat again and again just to make him bow repeatedly was no way to care for a noble person. Yao sent his nine sons to serve Shun, gave his two daughters in marriage to him, and provided officials, cattle, sheep, and full barns while Shun still lived among the fields. Later he raised him to high office. That is how a king or lord honors a worthy person.”

10.7 Wan Zhang asked, “Why not meet the lords?”
Mencius said, “An ordinary person living in town is called an unofficial subject in the market; in the country, an unofficial subject of the fields. Neither has presented credentials to enter a lord's service. Proper conduct does not allow them to request an audience.”
“If an ordinary person is summoned for compulsory work, he goes. Why does he not go when summoned because the ruler wants to see him?”
“It is right to perform the work; it is not right to go to an audience under those terms. Why does the ruler want to see him?”
“For what he knows and for his worth.”
“If it is for what he knows, not even the Son of Heaven summons a teacher, much less a lord. If it is for his worth, I have never heard of a ruler who wants to meet a worthy man summoning him. Duke Mu met Zisi many times and asked, ‘In ancient times, a ruler with a thousand war chariots could make a man of service his friend. What do you think?’ Zisi was displeased. ‘People of old spoke of serving such a man,’ he said. ‘Did they speak of being his friend?’ What troubled Zisi was this: ‘By rank, you are a ruler and I am your subject. How would I dare claim friendship with you? By virtue, you ought to serve me. How can you call yourself my friend?’ If a lord of a thousand chariots could not even win his friendship, how could he summon him? When Duke Jing of Qi went hunting, he summoned his park keeper with a banner used for a high official. The keeper did not come, and the duke meant to kill him. Confucius said, ‘A committed man does not forget that he might end up in a ditch; a brave man does not forget that he might lose his head.’ What did Confucius admire? The keeper would not come at a summons made with the wrong signal.”
“What should be used to summon the park keeper?”
“A leather cap. An ordinary person is summoned with a red banner, a man of service with a flag, and a high official with a decorated banner. A park keeper would rather die than respond to a high official's signal. How could an ordinary person respond to a man of service's signal? Much less should a worthy man respond to a signal intended for someone unworthy. To want to see a worthy man without approaching him properly is like wanting him to enter while closing the door. Rightness is the road, and proper conduct the door. Only noble people follow that road and pass through that door. The Book of Songs says, ‘Zhou's road is as level as a whetstone and as straight as an arrow; noble people walk it while ordinary people watch.’”
Wan Zhang said, “But when Confucius was summoned by his ruler, he went before his carriage was ready. Was he wrong?”
“Confucius held office then and was summoned on official business.”

10.8 Mencius told Wan Zhang, “A good man in a village makes friends with other good men in the village. A good man in a state makes friends with other good men in the state. A good man in the world makes friends with other good men in the world. If that is not enough, he considers people of ancient times. Can you recite their poems and read their writings without knowing the people themselves? That is why you consider the times in which they lived. This is friendship with people of earlier ages.”

10.9 King Xuan of Qi asked about high ministers. Mencius asked, “Which kind of high minister do you mean?”
“Are there different kinds?”
“Yes. Some are close relatives of the ruler; others belong to unrelated families.”
“Tell me about the close relatives.”
“When the ruler makes a serious mistake, they advise him. If they advise him repeatedly and he does not listen, they replace him.”
The king's expression changed sharply. Mencius said, “Do not be surprised. You asked me, and I did not dare give you anything but a straight answer.”
When the king's face had settled, he asked about ministers from other families. Mencius answered, “When the ruler makes a mistake, they advise him. If they advise him repeatedly and he does not listen, they leave.”

### Book 6A · Gaozi, Part One

11.1 Gaozi said, “Human nature is like willow wood; rightness is like a cup or bowl. Making kindness and rightness from human nature is like making cups and bowls from willow wood.”
Mencius said, “Can you follow the willow's nature when making a cup or bowl from it? Or must you cut and damage the wood first? If you must damage willow wood to make cups and bowls, will you also damage human beings to make kindness and rightness? Your words will surely lead people everywhere to bring harm on kindness and rightness.”

11.2 Gaozi said, “Human nature is like rushing water. Open a channel to the east and it flows east; open one to the west and it flows west. Human nature has no preference for goodness or badness, just as water has no preference for east or west.”
Mencius said, “Water has no preference for east or west. But does it have no preference for up or down? Human nature tends toward goodness as water flows downward. No human being lacks this tendency toward goodness, and no water fails to flow downward. Strike water and make it splash, and it can rise over your head. Force it along in a channel, and it can flow up a mountain. Is that water's nature? The force makes it happen. The conditions that lead people to do bad things work the same way on their nature.”

11.3 Gaozi said, “What is born is what we call nature.”
Mencius asked, “Do you mean it just as we call white what is white?”
“Yes.”
“Is the whiteness of a white feather the same as the whiteness of white snow, and that of white snow the same as the whiteness of white jade?”
“Yes.”
“Then is the nature of a dog the same as that of an ox, and an ox's nature the same as a human's?”

11.4 Gaozi said, “Food and sexual desire belong to human nature. Kindness comes from within, not from outside; rightness comes from outside, not from within.”
Mencius asked, “Why do you say that kindness is internal and rightness external?”
Gaozi said, “When someone is older than I am, I treat him as an elder. His age does not come from me. It is like calling him white because he is white: I respond to what is outside me. So I call it external.”
“That is not the same,” Mencius said. “The whiteness of a white horse is no different from that of a white person. But is honoring an old horse no different from honoring an old person? And is rightness found in the elder, or in the act of honoring him?”
Gaozi said, “I love my own younger brother but not the younger brother of a man from Qin. That is because loving him pleases me, so I call kindness internal. But I respect an elder from Chu just as I respect an elder of my own family. I respond to his age, so I call rightness external.”
Mencius said, “If I enjoy roasted meat prepared by a man from Qin, it is no different from enjoying roasted meat of my own. Other things too can work like that. Does that mean enjoying roasted meat is external?”

11.5 Meng Jizi asked Gongduzi, “Why do you say rightness comes from within?”
“I act on my own respect, so I call it internal.”
“If a villager is one year older than your oldest brother, which one do you respect?”
“My brother.”
“Which one would you serve a drink to first?”
“The villager.”
“You respect one man but give priority to the other. Surely respect is external, not internal.”
Gongduzi could not answer, and he told Mencius. Mencius said, “Ask him, ‘Do you honor your uncle or your younger brother?’ He will say, ‘My uncle.’ Then ask, ‘If your younger brother represents an ancestor in a ceremony, whom do you honor?’ He will say, ‘My younger brother.’ Ask, ‘What happened to honoring your uncle?’ He will say, ‘My brother holds the ceremonial position.’ Then you say, ‘That is why I give the villager priority: my regular respect goes to my brother, but for the moment I show respect to the villager.’”
When Jizi heard this, he said, “You respect the uncle when appropriate and the brother when appropriate. Surely it comes from outside, not within.”
Gongduzi replied, “In winter we drink warm water and in summer cool water. Does that mean what we drink is external to us too?”

11.6 Gongduzi said, “Gaozi says, ‘Nature is neither good nor bad.’ Others say, ‘Nature can become good or bad. That is why people favored goodness when King Wen and King Wu arose, but favored violence when King You and King Li arose.’ Still others say, ‘Some people have good natures, others bad ones. Yao had Xiang under his rule, Gusou had Shun as his son, and Zhou had Weizi Qi and Prince Bigan as relatives and subjects.’ You say human nature is good. Are all those people wrong?”
Mencius said, “If you look at what comes naturally to human beings, they can become good. That is what I mean by ‘good.’ When people do bad things, the fault does not lie in their natural abilities. Everyone has a heart capable of compassion, of feeling shame and disapproval, of respect, and of judging right and wrong. Compassion is kindness; feeling shame at wrong is rightness; respect is proper conduct; judging right and wrong is wisdom. Kindness, rightness, proper conduct, and wisdom do not come from outside and attach themselves to us; we already have them, though we do not think about them. That is why it is said, ‘Seek and you will find them; abandon them and you will lose them.’ Some people become twice as good as others, some five times as good, and some better beyond measure, because others fail to develop their abilities fully. The Book of Songs says, ‘Heaven gave birth to its many people; with each thing comes its rule. The people hold to their constant nature and love this fine virtue.’ Confucius said, ‘The writer of this song understood the Way. Every thing has its rule, and since people possess a constant nature, they love this fine virtue.’”

11.7 Mencius said, “In years of plenty, many young people behave well; in years of famine, many become violent. Heaven has not given them different natural abilities. Their circumstances overwhelm their hearts. Consider barley: sow it and weed it in the same kind of soil and at the same time, and it grows quickly and ripens at the summer solstice. If some plants differ, that is because of differences in rich and poor soil, rain and dew, or the care people give them. Members of one kind are generally alike. Why doubt that when it comes to people? Sages are of the same kind as we are. Longzi said, ‘If someone makes sandals without knowing what feet are, I still know the sandals will not turn out like baskets.’ Sandals are alike because feet everywhere are alike. People's mouths agree in what tastes good. Yi Ya was simply the first to recognize the tastes my mouth shares with others. If each person's taste were as different from another's as a dog's or a horse's nature is from ours, why would everyone look to Yi Ya in matters of taste? That people look to him shows their tastes are alike. The same goes for hearing: everyone looks to Shi Kuang for music, showing that their ears are alike. The same goes for sight: everyone recognizes Zidu as handsome. Anyone unable to see his beauty has no eyes. So mouths agree on tastes, ears agree on sounds, and eyes agree on what looks beautiful. Could hearts alone have nothing they agree on? What do hearts agree on? Principles and rightness. Sages are the first to discover what my heart agrees with. Principles and rightness please my heart just as the meat of grass-fed and grain-fed animals pleases my mouth.”

11.8 Mencius said, “Mount Niu once had beautiful trees. But it stood near a large city, and people cut its trees with axes. Could it remain beautiful? It still grew new shoots by day and night, watered by rain and dew. But cattle and sheep grazed there, leaving it bare. People who saw it bare thought it had never had trees. Was that the mountain's nature? The same is true of what is within people. Surely people have hearts capable of kindness and rightness. But losing their good hearts is like cutting down the trees with axes. How can a forest remain beautiful if it is cut every morning? In the quiet of night, people recover some freshness, and in the calm of early morning their likes and dislikes differ little from those of others. But what they do during the day chokes that growth again. After repeated choking, the strength gained at night is not enough to keep it alive. Without that strength, they become little different from animals. Those who see them acting like animals think they never had the capacity for good. Is that truly human nature? Anything grows if properly nourished, and anything declines if that nourishment is lost. Confucius said, ‘Hold it and it remains; let it go and it disappears. It comes and goes at no fixed time, and no one knows where it lives.’ He must have meant the heart.”

11.9 Mencius said, “There is no need to be surprised that the king lacks wisdom. Even the easiest plant in the world to grow cannot live if exposed to the sun for one day and then left in the cold for ten. I rarely see the king, and as soon as I leave, those who chill his resolve come to him. What can I do if any good growth has begun? Playing the board game yi is a small skill, but no one can learn it without full attention. Yi Qiu is the best player in the whole state. Suppose he teaches two men. One concentrates and listens to every word. The other seems to listen but keeps thinking a wild goose is about to fly by and imagines taking up a bow with a corded arrow to shoot it. Though they study together, the second will not match the first. Is he less intelligent? No.”

11.10 Mencius said, “I want fish, and I also want bear's paw. If I cannot have both, I give up fish and choose bear's paw. I want to live, and I also want to do what is right. If I cannot have both, I give up life and choose rightness. I want life, but I want some things more than life; that is why I will not do just anything to stay alive. I hate death, but I hate some things more than death; that is why I do not avoid every danger. If people wanted nothing more than life, what method of saving themselves would they refuse? If they hated nothing more than death, what would they not do to escape danger? Yet there are ways to survive that people do not use, and ways to escape danger that they refuse. So people want some things more than life and hate some things more than death. Worthy people are not alone in feeling this: everyone feels it, though worthy people do not lose that feeling.
“A basket of food and a bowl of soup may save someone's life. Yet a traveler will not accept them if offered with a shout of contempt, and even a beggar will refuse them if they are kicked toward him. But someone may accept a salary of ten thousand measures without asking whether it is right. What does that salary add to me? Am I taking it for a beautiful house, for the comfort of my wife and concubines, or to make people I know who are poor and struggling feel grateful to me? I once refused it even at the cost of my life, but now take it for a beautiful house. I once refused it even at the cost of my life, but now take it for the comfort of my wife and concubines. I once refused it even at the cost of my life, but now take it so that needy people I know will thank me. Can I not stop doing that? That is what it means to lose your original heart.”

11.11 Mencius said, “Kindness is a person's heart; rightness is a person's road. How sad to abandon your road and not follow it, or lose your heart and not know how to look for it! If someone loses a chicken or dog, he knows to look for it. But if he loses his heart, he does not look. The whole point of learning is simply to find your lost heart.”

11.12 Mencius said, “Suppose a person's ring finger were bent and would not straighten, though it caused no pain or difficulty. If someone could straighten it, he would travel all the way to Qin or Chu to see that person, because his finger was unlike other people's. He recognizes a fault in his finger, but if his heart is unlike other people's, he does not recognize the fault. That means he cannot judge what really matters.”

11.13 Mencius said, “If people want young trees of paulownia and catalpa to grow, they know how to care for them. But when it comes to themselves, they do not know how to nurture their growth. Do they care less for themselves than for trees? They simply have not thought carefully.”

11.14 Mencius said, “People care for their whole bodies, so they tend them all. They love every inch of their skin and care for every inch. How can we judge whether they do so well? We need only look at their own choices. Some parts of the body matter more than others, and some needs are greater than others. Do not harm what is greater for what is smaller, or what is more important for what is less. Someone who nurtures only the lesser part becomes a petty person; someone who nurtures the greater part becomes a great person. If a gardener neglected his fine parasol and catalpa trees to tend thorn bushes, he would be a poor gardener. If someone cared for one finger while losing his shoulders and back without realizing it, he would be a very confused man. People who care only about food and drink are looked down on because they nourish the smaller part while losing the greater. If someone devoted to eating and drinking lost nothing else, would the mouth and belly really be no more important than an inch of skin?”

11.15 Gongduzi asked, “People are all human beings. Why do some become great people and others petty people?”
Mencius said, “Those who follow the greater part of themselves become great people; those who follow the smaller part become petty people.”
“Why do some follow the greater part and others the smaller?”
“The ears and eyes cannot think. They are drawn to things, and when things meet them they are simply pulled along. The heart, by contrast, can think. If it thinks, it understands; if it does not, it fails to understand. Heaven gave us this ability. Establish what is greater first, and what is smaller cannot take it away. That is how to become a great person.”

11.16 Mencius said, “There are honors granted by Heaven and honors granted by people. Kindness, rightness, loyalty, trustworthiness, and untiring delight in doing good are Heaven's honors. Ranks such as duke, minister, and official are people's honors. People of old cultivated Heaven's honors, and honors from people followed. People today cultivate Heaven's honors in order to gain honors from people. Once they have them, they throw away Heaven's honors. That is terribly confused, and in the end they will lose everything.”

11.17 Mencius said, “Everyone wants to be honored. Everyone already possesses something honorable but fails to consider it. Honor given by others is not true honor: what Zhao Meng raises up, Zhao Meng can bring down. The Book of Songs says, ‘You are filled with wine and satisfied with virtue.’ That means being full of kindness and rightness, so you do not long for other people's rich food. A good name and widely praised character are yours, so you do not long for other people's embroidered clothes.”

11.18 Mencius said, “Kindness overcomes unkindness as water overcomes fire. Yet people who practice kindness today are like someone trying to put out a cartload of burning firewood with one cup of water. When the fire does not go out, they say water cannot overcome fire. This only strengthens unkindness, and in the end everything will be lost.”

11.19 Mencius said, “The five grains are the best crops. But if they do not ripen, they are worth less than weeds. It is the same with kindness: what matters is developing it fully.”

11.20 Mencius said, “When Yi taught archery, he insisted on drawing the bow fully, and his students too had to aim to draw it fully. When a master craftsman teaches, he uses compass and square; his students too must use compass and square.”

### Book 6B · Gaozi, Part Two

12.1 A man from Ren asked Wuluzi, “Which is more important, proper conduct or food?”
“Proper conduct,” he replied.
“Which is more important, sex or proper conduct?”
“Proper conduct.”
“If following proper conduct in eating means starving to death, but ignoring it means getting food, must you follow it? If performing the marriage visit means failing to get a wife, but skipping it means getting one, must you perform the visit?”
Wuluzi could not answer. The next day he went to Zou and told Mencius.
Mencius said, “That is easy to answer. If you ignore the base of one thing and compare only its tip with the tip of another, you can make a piece of wood an inch high taller than a tall tower. When we say gold is heavier than feathers, we do not mean a small hook of gold is heavier than a cartload of feathers. If you compare a serious need for food with a minor requirement of proper conduct, of course food matters more. If you compare a serious need for marriage with a minor requirement of proper conduct, of course marriage matters more. Go back and ask him, ‘If you could get food only by twisting your older brother's arm and taking his meal, would you do it? If you could get a wife only by climbing your eastern neighbor's wall and grabbing his unmarried daughter, would you do it?’”

12.2 Cao Jiao asked, “Is it true that everyone can become like Yao or Shun?”
“Yes,” said Mencius.
“I hear King Wen was ten feet tall and Tang nine. I am over nine feet four inches tall, but I just eat grain. How can I become like them?”
“What does height have to do with it? You only have to act. A man who cannot lift a single duckling is considered weak. One who can lift a hundred jun is considered strong. If he lifts as much as the strongman Wu Huo, he will be like Wu Huo. People's problem is not that they are unable but that they do not act. Walking slowly behind your elders is respect; rushing ahead of them is disrespect. Is walking slowly beyond people's ability? They simply choose not to. The Way of Yao and Shun is just respect for parents and older siblings. Wear what Yao wore, speak as he spoke, and act as he acted, and you will be like Yao. Wear what Jie wore, speak as he spoke, and act as he acted, and you will be like Jie.”
“I can meet the ruler of Zou and ask him for lodging. I would like to stay and study with you.”
“The Way is like a broad road. How could it be hard to find? People simply fail to look. Go home and seek it. You have teachers enough there.”

12.3 Gongsun Chou said, “Gaozi calls the song Little Bow ‘the song of a petty person.’”
“Why?” asked Mencius.
“Because it expresses resentment.”
“How rigid Gaozi is in reading the Songs! If a man from Yue drew his bow to shoot at someone, that person might describe it laughing and talking, because the attacker is a stranger. If his own brother drew a bow at him, he would describe it weeping, because his brother is close to him. The resentment in Little Bow comes from love of family. Loving your family is kindness. Gaozi reads the Songs far too rigidly!”
“Then why does the song Gentle Wind express no resentment?”
“In Gentle Wind, the parent's fault is small; in Little Bow, the parent's fault is great. To feel no hurt over a great fault would mean being too distant from your parent. To express resentment over a small fault would mean being too easily upset. Both distance and easy resentment fail in respect for parents. Confucius said, ‘Shun's respect for his parents was complete: even at fifty he longed for them.’”

12.4 Song Keng was going to Chu when Mencius met him at Shiqiu and asked, “Where are you going?”
“I hear Qin and Chu are going to war. I will see the king of Chu and persuade him to call it off. If he will not listen, I will see the king of Qin and persuade him. I expect one of them to listen.”
“Let me ask about your main point rather than the details. How will you persuade them?”
“I will tell them war brings no advantage.”
“Your aim is great, but your argument is wrong. If you speak to the kings of Qin and Chu in terms of advantage and they stop their armies because advantage pleases them, the soldiers will also be pleased to stop for the sake of advantage. Ministers will serve their rulers for advantage; children will serve their parents for advantage; younger brothers will serve older brothers for advantage. Rulers and ministers, parents and children, older and younger siblings will set aside kindness and rightness and deal with each other for gain. Nothing built on that can survive. But if you speak to the kings of Qin and Chu about kindness and rightness, and they stop their armies because kindness and rightness please them, the soldiers too will be glad to stop for those reasons. Ministers will serve rulers with kindness and rightness in mind; children will serve parents that way; younger brothers will serve older brothers that way. All will set aside personal gain and deal with each other kindly and rightly. No ruler who achieves that has failed to become a true king. Why speak of advantage?”

12.5 While Mencius lived in Zou, Ji Ren was acting ruler in Ren and sent gifts to establish relations. Mencius accepted them but did not return a visit. When Mencius stayed at Pinglu, the minister Chu Zi sent gifts; Mencius accepted but did not visit. Later Mencius went from Zou to Ren and visited Ji Ren, but traveled through Pinglu to Qi without visiting Chu Zi. Wuluzi was pleased: “Now I have a chance to ask.”
He said, “Why did you visit Ji Ren on your way to Ren but not Chu Zi on your way to Qi? Was it because Chu Zi was only a minister?”
“No. The Book of Documents says, ‘An offering has many ceremonies, but if the ceremonies are not matched by the gift, it is no offering at all; the giver has not put his heart into it.’ Chu Zi had not given a real gift.” Wuluzi was satisfied. When someone asked him to explain, he said, “Ji Ren could not come to Zou, but Chu Zi could have come to Pinglu.”

12.6 Chunyu Kun said, “People who put their reputation and achievements first do it for others; people who put them last do it for themselves. You were one of three high ministers but left before your name and work benefited either the ruler or the people. Is that how a kind person acts?”
Mencius said, “Bo Yi held a low position but would not use his abilities to serve an unworthy ruler. Yi Yin went to Tang five times and to Jie five times. Liuxia Hui did not refuse to serve a corrupt ruler or take a small post. Their paths differed, but their aim was the same. What was it? Kindness. A noble person needs only to be kind; why must everyone act alike?”
“Under Duke Mu of Lu, Gongyi Zi governed and Zi Liu and Zisi were his ministers, yet Lu lost more and more territory. It seems worthy people did not help the state at all.”
“Yu perished because it did not employ Baili Xi; Duke Mu of Qin employed him and became a leading ruler. A state that refuses worthy people perishes. How could mere territorial losses be the worst outcome?”
“Long ago Wang Bao lived beside the Qi River, and the people west of the Yellow River became good singers. Mian Ju lived in Gaotang, and the people on the right side of Qi became good singers. The wives of Hua Zhou and Qi Liang mourned their husbands so powerfully that they changed the customs of the state. What is within must show outwardly. I have never seen anyone work without results. So there can be no worthy people now; if there were, I would know them.”
“Confucius served as chief judge in Lu, but no one followed his advice. After he joined in a ceremonial offering, the portion of roast meat due to him did not arrive. He left without even removing his ritual cap. Those who did not understand thought he left over the meat. Those who understood thought he left because the proper forms were neglected. In fact, Confucius wanted to leave over a minor offense rather than appear to leave without a reason. Ordinary people often fail to understand why noble people act as they do.”

12.7 Mencius said, “The five hegemons offended against the three ancient kings. Today's lords offend against the five hegemons, and today's high officials offend against today's lords. When the Son of Heaven visits the lords, that is an inspection. When the lords attend him, that is a report on their work. In spring he examines the plowing and helps those who lack supplies; in autumn he examines the harvest and helps those without enough food. If he enters a territory where land has been opened and fields are well tended, the elderly cared for, worthy people respected, and outstanding people hold office, he rewards its ruler with land. If he finds fields abandoned, the elderly neglected, worthy people overlooked, and greedy officials in office, he reprimands the ruler. If a lord fails to attend court once, his rank is reduced; twice, his territory is reduced; three times, the royal armies are sent against him. Thus the Son of Heaven imposes punishment by authority, while the lords wage war but cannot claim that authority. The five hegemons drew lords into alliances to attack other lords. That is why I say they offended against the three ancient kings. Duke Huan was the greatest of the five. At the meeting at Kuiqiu, the lords bound a sacrificial animal and read their agreement without smearing their lips with blood. Its first order said, ‘Punish those who fail their parents; do not replace the appointed heir or make a concubine your wife.’ The second said, ‘Respect the worthy and train the able to make virtue known.’ The third said, ‘Respect the elderly, care for the young, and do not forget guests and travelers.’ The fourth said, ‘Do not make offices hereditary, let each official perform only his own duties, choose men of service well, and do not execute high officials on your own authority.’ The fifth said, ‘Do not build dams that harm others, block grain purchases, or grant land without giving notice.’ The pact concluded, ‘All of us in this alliance will return to friendly relations after making our oath.’ Today's lords break all five prohibitions. That is why I say they offend against the five hegemons. It is a lesser wrong to let a ruler's bad habits grow; it is a greater one to encourage them. Today's high officials all encourage their rulers' faults. That is why I say they offend against today's lords.”

12.8 Lu wanted to make Shen Zi a general. Mencius said, “To send people into battle without training them is to bring disaster on them. Anyone who did that would have no place in the age of Yao and Shun. Even if you won one battle against Qi and gained Nanyang, it would still be wrong.”
Shen Zi was visibly displeased. “I, Hua Li, do not understand your meaning.”
“Let me explain plainly. The Son of Heaven's territory is a thousand li square. Anything less is insufficient for him to receive the lords. A lord's territory is a hundred li square. Anything less is insufficient to maintain the records of his ancestral temple. The Duke of Zhou received a hundred li square when he was granted Lu. It was limited to a hundred not because there was too little land. The Grand Duke received a hundred li square when he was granted Qi, also not for lack of land. Today Lu holds five times a hundred li square. If a true king arose, do you think he would reduce Lu's territory or increase it? Even if one were merely taking land from one state to give it to another, a kind person would refuse. How much more would he refuse to kill people for land? A noble person serving his ruler works only to guide him to the right Way and set his mind on kindness.”

12.9 Mencius said, “People who serve rulers today say, ‘I can expand your land and fill your treasuries.’ Those called good ministers today would have been called enemies of the people in ancient times. To enrich a ruler who does not seek the Way or set his mind on kindness is to enrich Jie. Others say, ‘I can make alliances for you and win every battle.’ They too would have been called enemies of the people in ancient times. To fight fiercely for a ruler who does not seek the Way or set his mind on kindness is to help Jie. If we keep today's methods and never change today's customs, even if someone gave us the world, we could not hold it for a single morning.”

12.10 Bai Gui said, “I want to collect one part in twenty as tax. What do you think?”
Mencius said, “That is the way of the Mo people. Could a state of ten thousand households manage with only one potter?”
“No. There would not be enough pottery.”
“Among the Mo, the five grains do not grow; only millet grows. They have no walled towns, palaces, ancestral temples, or offering ceremonies; no gifts of silk, feasts, or meals for visiting lords; and no large body of officials. So a tax of one part in twenty is enough for them. But can you live in the central states while abandoning human relationships and doing without governing officials? One potter is too few even for a state; how could it do without officials? Those who want taxes lighter than Yao's and Shun's are great Mo or small Mo; those who want them heavier are great Jie or small Jie.”

12.11 Bai Gui said, “I am better at controlling floods than Yu was.”
Mencius said, “You are wrong. Yu controlled water by following its natural course. He made the four seas the channels into which it flowed. You make the neighboring states your drainage basin. Water forced back against its course becomes a flood, and flooding is something a kind person hates. You are wrong.”

12.12 Mencius said, “If a noble person is not trustworthy, how can he hold fast to anything?”

12.13 Lu was going to put Yue Zheng in charge of government. Mencius said, “When I heard, I was so happy that I could not sleep.”
Gongsun Chou asked, “Is Yue Zheng strong?”
“No.”
“Does he have insight?”
“No.”
“Is he widely learned?”
“No.”
“Then why were you so happy that you could not sleep?”
“He loves what is good.”
“Is that enough?”
“Loving what is good is more than enough to govern the world, much less Lu. If someone loves goodness, people throughout the four seas will think a journey of a thousand li is nothing and come to tell him what is good. But if he does not love goodness, people will say, ‘He is dismissive. He already thinks he knows everything.’ The sound of that voice and the look of that face keep people a thousand li away. When capable people stay so far off, flatterers come close. Can a state be governed well when its ruler lives among flattering, deceitful people?”

12.14 Chen Zi asked, “When did noble people of old take office?”
Mencius said, “There were three reasons for joining a ruler and three for leaving him. If a ruler welcomed a man respectfully and with proper conduct, and said he would follow his advice, the man joined him. If the ruler stopped following his advice even while still treating him properly, the man left. Second, even if the ruler did not promise to follow his advice, the man could join if the welcome was respectful and proper; when that respectful treatment declined, he left. Last, a man might have nothing to eat morning or night and be too hungry to go out the door. If a ruler heard this and said, ‘I cannot put his Way into practice or follow his advice, but I am ashamed to let him starve on my land,’ the man could accept help, but only enough to avoid death.”

12.15 Mencius said, “Shun rose from work in the fields; Fu Yue was chosen from among people building with earth and boards; Jiao Ge from among fish and salt sellers; Guan Yiwu from prison; Sunshu Ao from the coast; and Baili Xi from the marketplace. So when Heaven is about to give a person a heavy responsibility, it first makes his mind suffer, tires his muscles and bones, makes his body hungry, reduces him to poverty, and frustrates everything he tries. This shakes his heart, strengthens his character, and gives him abilities he lacked. People make mistakes regularly before they learn to correct them. They struggle inwardly and find their thoughts blocked before they rise to act. Their troubles show in their faces and voices before others understand them. A state without officials at home who uphold the law and offer correction, or threats from rival states abroad, usually falls. Then we understand that worry and hardship keep us alive, while ease and pleasure lead to death.”

12.16 Mencius said, “There are many ways to teach. When I refuse to teach someone because I think him unworthy of it, that too is a kind of teaching.”

### Book 7A · Fulfilling the Heart, Part One

13.1 Mencius said, “If you fully develop your heart, you know your nature. If you know your nature, you know Heaven. Keeping your heart intact and nurturing your nature is how you serve Heaven. Whether you die young or live long, stay committed to self-improvement and wait for what comes. That is how you accept your allotted life.”

13.2 Mencius said, “Everything is in the hands of destiny, but accept only what comes by the proper path. Someone who understands destiny does not stand under a crumbling wall. To die after following the Way as fully as you can is a fitting end. To die in chains is not a fitting end.”

13.3 Mencius said, “‘Seek and you find it; abandon it and you lose it’: here seeking helps you find it, because what you seek is within you. ‘Seek in the right way, but gaining it depends on destiny’: here seeking cannot ensure success, because what you seek is outside you.”

13.4 Mencius said, “Everything we need is present within us. Nothing is more joyful than examining yourself and finding yourself sincere. Nothing brings you nearer to kindness than doing your best to treat others as you would want to be treated.”

13.5 Mencius said, “Many people do things without understanding them, repeat practices without examining them, and follow a path all their lives without knowing its Way.”

13.6 Mencius said, “People need a sense of shame. If you feel ashamed of having no shame, you will no longer be shameless.”

13.7 Mencius said, “Shame matters greatly to people. Those who pride themselves on clever schemes have no use for shame. If you are not ashamed to fall short of others, how can you become their equal?”

13.8 Mencius said, “Worthy kings of old loved goodness and forgot their rank. Worthy men of service did the same. They enjoyed their Way and forgot other people's rank. A king or lord could not see them often unless he approached them with full respect and proper conduct. If he could hardly gain an audience, how could he expect to employ them as subjects?”

13.9 Mencius said to Song Goujian, “Do you like to travel from state to state? Let me tell you how. Be at ease whether people appreciate you or fail to appreciate you.”
“How can I remain at ease?”
“Value virtue and take pleasure in rightness. Then you can remain at ease. When a man of service is poor and unrecognized, he does not give up rightness; when he succeeds, he does not leave the Way. Keeping rightness in poverty lets him retain his sense of himself. Keeping the Way when successful prevents the people from losing hope. People of old, when they achieved their aims, brought benefits to the people. When they could not, they cultivated themselves as an example to the world. When poor, they improved themselves alone; when successful, they helped the whole world become better.”

13.10 Mencius said, “Ordinary people wait for a King Wen before they are inspired to act. Outstanding people act even without a King Wen.”

13.11 Mencius said, “Give someone the households of Han and Wei: if he still feels he has not done enough to be worthy, he is far ahead of other people.”

13.12 Mencius said, “Put people to work in a way that will give them rest, and they will not complain even if the work is hard. Execute people to save lives, and those who die will not resent the person who ordered their death.”

13.13 Mencius said, “Under a hegemon the people are excited and pleased; under a true king they live freely and at ease. Even if such a king punishes people with death, they do not resent him; even when he helps them, they do not feel they owe him. They grow better every day without knowing who made it happen. Wherever a noble person passes, people change; wherever he stays, his influence seems extraordinary. His work joins that of Heaven and earth from top to bottom. How could it be called a small help?”

13.14 Mencius said, “The reputation for kindness affects people more deeply than kind words alone. Good teaching wins the people more fully than good administration. People fear good administration but love good teaching. Good administration gains their resources; good teaching gains their hearts.”

13.15 Mencius said, “What people can do without learning is their natural ability. What they know without thinking is their natural understanding. Even very small children know how to love their parents; when they grow older they know how to respect older siblings. Loving your parents is kindness; respecting elders is rightness. We need only extend these to the whole world.”

13.16 Mencius said, “When Shun lived in the deep mountains among trees and rocks and moved among deer and wild pigs, there was little to set him apart from other people living there. But when he heard a good word or saw a good deed, his response was like a river released from a dam: it rushed forward and no one could stop it.”

13.17 Mencius said, “Do not do what you know you should not do; do not desire what you know you should not desire. That is all.”

13.18 Mencius said, “People develop virtue, wisdom, skill, and understanding through troubles and hardship. Ministers with no support and sons born outside the main family are especially alert to danger and think deeply about possible trouble. That is why they develop understanding.”

13.19 Mencius said, “Some people serve rulers only to win their favor. Some ministers take pleasure in securing the state and its altars. Some among Heaven's people act only when they can make their Way prevail throughout the world. Great people put themselves in order, and things around them are set right.”

13.20 Mencius said, “A noble person has three joys, and ruling the world is not one of them. One joy is that both parents are alive and brothers are free of trouble. The second is that he can look up to Heaven without shame and down to other people without feeling guilty. The third is to find talented people throughout the world and teach them. A noble person has three joys, and ruling the world is not one of them.”

13.21 Mencius said, “A noble person wants broad lands and many people but does not find his deepest joy in them. He enjoys standing at the center of the world and bringing peace to people throughout the four seas, but that is not where his nature lies. What is part of his nature cannot be increased by worldwide success or lessened by living in poverty. His allotted nature is settled. Kindness, rightness, proper conduct, and wisdom are rooted in his heart. They show as a clear glow on his face, spread across his back, and appear in his limbs. His limbs express them without words.”

13.22 Mencius said, “Bo Yi fled Zhou and lived by the North Sea. When he heard that King Wen had arisen, he said, ‘Why not go to him? I hear the lord of the west cares well for the old.’ The Grand Duke fled Zhou and lived by the East Sea. When he heard that King Wen had arisen, he said the same. When someone anywhere cares well for the old, kind people regard him as a ruler they can go to. Plant mulberries beside the walls of a five-mu household plot, and with a woman tending silkworms the old will have enough silk to wear. Keep five hens and two sows and raise them at the right times, and the old will have meat. Have one man work a hundred-mu field, and a family of eight will have enough to eat. The claim that the lord of the west cared well for the old means he arranged land and homes, taught people to plant and raise animals, and guided wives and children so they could support the elderly. At fifty, a person is not warm without silk; at seventy, a person is not full without meat. Those who lack warmth and food are cold and hungry. There were no elderly people left cold and hungry among King Wen's people. That is what the claim means.”

13.23 Mencius said, “Tend the fields well and keep taxes light, and the people can become prosperous. Let them eat at the right times and use resources with proper care, and there will be more than enough. People cannot live without water and fire, yet if you knock at a door at nightfall to ask for them, no one refuses because they are plentiful. A sage governing the world makes beans and grain as plentiful as water and fire. If beans and grain are that plentiful, how could the people fail to be kind?”

13.24 Mencius said, “When Confucius climbed the eastern hill, Lu seemed small; when he climbed Mount Tai, the world seemed small. Anyone who has seen the sea is hard to impress with other waters; anyone who has studied under a sage is hard to impress with other speech. There is a way to look at water: look at its waves. The sun and moon shine, lighting up every opening their light enters. Running water does not move on until it has filled each hollow. A noble person who sets his mind on the Way does not progress until he has mastered each stage.”

13.25 Mencius said, “Those who get up at cockcrow and work tirelessly to do good follow Shun. Those who get up at cockcrow and work tirelessly for gain follow the robber Zhi. If you want to know the difference between Shun and Zhi, it is simply the difference between good and gain.”

13.26 Mencius said, “Yang Zhu favored looking after himself: he would not pull out one hair even if it benefited the whole world. Mozi favored equal love: he would wear himself out from head to heel if it benefited the whole world. Zi Mo held to a middle position, which was closer to the right way. But holding to the middle without judging each situation is as bad as clinging to one extreme. I dislike clinging to one principle because it harms the Way: it advances one thing at the expense of a hundred others.”

13.27 Mencius said, “Hungry people find any food delicious and thirsty people find any drink sweet, because hunger and thirst keep them from judging food and drink properly. But it is not just mouths and stomachs that hunger and thirst can harm. The human heart can be harmed too. If people keep this kind of craving from harming their hearts, they need not worry that they fall short of others.”

13.28 Mencius said, “Liuxia Hui would not have traded his principles for the rank of one of the three highest ministers.”

13.29 Mencius said, “Anyone who undertakes a task is like someone digging a well. If you dig nine ren deep without reaching water, you have still abandoned the well.”

13.30 Mencius said, “Yao and Shun were good by nature. Tang and King Wu made themselves good through effort. The five hegemons only borrowed the appearance of goodness. If someone borrows for so long without returning it, how can anyone tell that it does not really belong to him?”

13.31 Gongsun Chou said, “Yi Yin said, ‘I will not accept wrong conduct.’ He exiled Tai Jia to Tong, and the people were pleased. When Tai Jia grew worthy, Yi Yin brought him back, and the people were pleased again. So may a worthy minister exile his ruler if the ruler is unworthy?”
Mencius said, “He may if his intentions are Yi Yin's. Without Yi Yin's intentions, it would be usurpation.”

13.32 Gongsun Chou said, “The Book of Songs says, ‘He does not eat without earning it.’ Why does a noble person eat without farming?”
Mencius said, “If a noble person lives in a state and its ruler employs him, he helps bring peace, prosperity, honor, and dignity. If young people follow his example, they respect parents and older siblings and become loyal and trustworthy. What greater way is there to earn one's food?”

13.33 Prince Dian asked, “What is a man of service's work?”
“To set his aims high,” said Mencius.
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing but kindness and rightness. Killing one innocent person is not kind; taking what does not belong to you is not right. Where should you live? In kindness. What road should you take? Rightness. Living in kindness and following rightness fulfills a great person's work.”

13.34 Mencius said, “Everyone believes Zhongzi would refuse the state of Qi if it were offered wrongly. But that is the kind of rightness shown in turning down a basket of food and a bowl of soup. No wrong is greater than denying the bonds of family, ruler and minister, and higher and lower. How could you infer that he would avoid that greater wrong because he avoids the smaller?”

13.35 Tao Ying asked, “If Shun were Son of Heaven, Gao Yao were chief judge, and Shun's father Gusou killed someone, what would happen?”
“Gao Yao would arrest him.”
“Would Shun not prevent that?”
“How could Shun prevent it? The judge has his authority from its proper source.”
“Then what would Shun do?”
“He would think giving up the world was like throwing away a worn-out sandal. He would secretly carry his father away, settle with him by the sea, and happily spend the rest of his life there, forgetting the world.”

13.36 Traveling from Fan to Qi, Mencius saw a son of the king of Qi from afar and sighed. “Where a person lives changes his bearing, and what nourishes him changes his body. How powerful one's surroundings are! Yet isn't a prince simply another person's son?”
Mencius said, “A prince has many things in common with other people: his rooms, carriages, horses, and clothes. Yet he looks different because of his position. Think how much more different a person might be who lived in the world's spacious home of kindness! Once when the ruler of Lu visited Song, he called out at the Dize gate. The guard said, ‘He isn't our ruler, but how much his voice resembles our ruler's!’ That was simply because their positions were alike.”

13.37 Mencius said, “To feed someone without caring for him is to treat him like a pig. To care for him without respecting him is to raise him like an animal. Respect is present even before a gift is offered. If it is only an empty show, a noble person cannot be held by it.”

13.38 Mencius said, “Our physical form and appearance are given by Heaven. Only a sage can fully live up to what his form makes possible.”

13.39 King Xuan of Qi wanted to shorten the mourning period. Gongsun Chou asked, “Wouldn't mourning for one year be better than doing away with mourning altogether?”
Mencius replied, “That is like saying to someone who twists his brother's arm, ‘At least do it more gently.’ Instead, teach the king to respect parents and older siblings.”
A prince whose mother had died asked through his tutor for permission to mourn for several months. Gongsun Chou asked, “What about someone like him?”
“He wanted to complete the mourning period but could not. Even one extra day is better than none for him. I was speaking about someone free to mourn who chooses not to.”

13.40 Mencius said, “A noble person teaches in five ways: he changes someone as timely rain changes the earth; he helps someone complete his virtue; he develops someone's abilities; he answers someone's questions; and he allows someone who never studies with him to learn privately from his example. These are his five ways of teaching.”

13.41 Gongsun Chou said, “The Way is high and beautiful, but it seems like climbing to Heaven: out of reach. Why not bring it closer so people can work toward it each day?”
Mencius said, “A master carpenter does not set aside his measuring line because an apprentice lacks skill. Yi did not change how fully a bow must be drawn because an apprentice could not shoot. A noble person draws the bow but does not release the arrow: he shows how to do it. He stands in the middle of the Way, and those who can follow him do.”

13.42 Mencius said, “When the Way prevails in the world, a person devotes himself to the Way. When it does not prevail, he sacrifices himself for the Way. I have never heard that someone should sacrifice the Way for a person.”

13.43 Gongduzi asked, “Teng Geng is a student here and seems entitled to respectful treatment. Why do you not answer him?”
Mencius replied, “I do not answer people who ask questions relying on their rank, their abilities, their age, their achievements, or an old acquaintance. Teng Geng relies on two of those.”

13.44 Mencius said, “Those who stop doing something they should not give up will give up anything. Those who are ungenerous to the people closest to them will be ungenerous to anyone. People who rush into things fiercely also withdraw quickly.”

13.45 Mencius said, “A noble person cares for other living things, but does not care for them as he does for people. He shows kindness to the people, but not the closeness he feels for his relatives. He is close to his relatives, kind to the people, and caring toward other living things.”

13.46 Mencius said, “A wise person should know many things, but the urgent tasks come first. A kind person should care for everyone, but first become close to worthy people. Yao and Shun were wise without examining every thing, because they attended to urgent tasks. They were kind without being personally close to everyone, because they first drew worthy people near. If someone fails to mourn his parents for three years while scrutinizing minor mourning rites, or eats carelessly with food spilling from his mouth while worrying about not biting his meat with his teeth, he does not know what matters most.”

### Book 7B · Fulfilling the Heart, Part Two

14.1 Mencius said, “How unkind King Hui of Liang was! A kind person extends care from those he loves to those he does not love. An unkind person lets the harm he does to those he does not love reach those he loves.”
Gongsun Chou asked, “What do you mean?”
“King Hui went to war over land and let his people be torn apart in battle. He suffered a severe defeat and wanted revenge, but feared he could not win. So he drove the young men he loved into battle to die with the rest. That is how he let the harm he did to people he did not love reach those he loved.”

14.2 Mencius said, “There is no war fought for rightness in the Spring and Autumn Annals, though some sides were better than others. A punitive campaign is made by a superior against an inferior. States of equal rank cannot punish one another in that way.”

14.3 Mencius said, “If you believe everything in the Book of Documents, you would be better off without it. I accept only two or three bamboo slips of the Account of King Wu's Success. A kind man has no enemy in the world. If a ruler of the greatest kindness attacked a ruler of the greatest cruelty, how could the blood have flowed so deep that it floated the wooden clubs?”

14.4 Mencius said, “Anyone who says, ‘I am good at arranging armies and good at fighting,’ is guilty of a terrible wrong. If a state's ruler loves kindness, he will have no enemy in the world. When he goes south to punish a ruler, people in the north complain; when he goes east, people in the west complain, ‘Why are we last?’ When King Wu attacked Yin, he had three hundred war chariots and three thousand brave soldiers. He said, ‘Do not be afraid! I am bringing you peace, not fighting the ordinary people.’ They bowed down so quickly that their foreheads seemed to strike the ground. To punish in this sense is to set things right; everyone wants to be set right. What need is there to fight?”

14.5 Mencius said, “Carpenters and makers of wheels and carriages can give others compasses and squares, but they cannot make others skilled.”

14.6 Mencius said, “When Shun ate dried grain and wild plants, he lived as though he would do so all his life. When he became Son of Heaven, he wore embroidered clothes, played the lute, and had the emperor's two daughters attending him, as though all of it had always been his.”

14.7 Mencius said, “Only now do I understand how grave a wrong it is to kill another person's relative. If you kill a person's father, that person may kill yours; if you kill his older brother, he may kill yours. There is only one step between doing that and killing your own father or brother yourself.”

14.8 Mencius said, “In ancient times border gates kept violent people out. Today border gates are used to commit violence.”

14.9 Mencius said, “If you do not follow the Way yourself, you cannot make even your wife and children follow it. If you order people around without following the Way, you cannot direct even your wife and children.”

14.10 Mencius said, “Those with adequate resources will survive even a year of famine. Those rich in virtue will not be corrupted even in a troubled age.”

14.11 Mencius said, “Someone who loves a good reputation may give up a state with a thousand chariots. If he is not truly that kind of person, his face will show his resentment at being asked to give up a basket of food and a bowl of soup.”

14.12 Mencius said, “Without trust in kind and worthy people, the state is left empty and weak. Without proper conduct and rightness, those above and below fall into disorder. Without effective government, resources will not be enough.”

14.13 Mencius said, “An unkind man has sometimes gained a state, but no unkind man has ever gained the whole world.”

14.14 Mencius said, “The people matter most; the state's altars come next; the ruler matters least. So one becomes Son of Heaven by winning the common people, a lord by winning the Son of Heaven, and a senior official by winning a lord. If a lord endangers the state, replace him. If proper sacrificial animals are ready, the offering grain clean, and sacrifices made at the right time, yet drought or floods continue, then replace the altars of the land and grain themselves.”

14.15 Mencius said, “Sages can teach people a hundred generations later. Bo Yi and Liuxia Hui are examples. Stubborn people who hear of Bo Yi's example grow honest, and timid people find a purpose. Cold people who hear of Liuxia Hui's example grow warmer, and narrow-minded people more generous. They acted more than a hundred generations ago, yet people a hundred generations later who hear of them still rise to do better. Could anyone but a sage have that effect? Imagine the effect on those who knew them in person!”

14.16 Mencius said, “Kindness is what makes us human. When being human and being kind come together, that is the Way.”

14.17 Mencius said, “When Confucius left Lu, he said, ‘I will take my time.’ That is how one leaves one's home state. When he left Qi, he set out while his washed rice was still draining. That is how one leaves another state.”

14.18 Mencius said, “When the noble person was in danger between Chen and Cai, he had no one in authority or among the people with whom he had a bond.”

14.19 Mo Ji said, “I am severely criticized by others.”
Mencius said, “That need not trouble you. Men of service attract many critics. The Book of Songs says, ‘My heart is troubled; petty people are angry with me.’ That applied to Confucius. It also says, ‘He did not end their anger, but he did not lose his reputation.’ That applied to King Wen.”

14.20 Mencius said, “Worthy people use their own clear understanding to make others understand. People today are confused themselves but try to make others understand.”

14.21 Mencius told Gaozi, “A narrow track across a mountain becomes a path if people use it regularly. If no one uses it for a while, grass and weeds block it. Now weeds have blocked your heart.”

14.22 Gaozi said, “Yu's music was finer than King Wen's.”
“Why do you say that?” Mencius asked.
“Because the rim of the bell used for Yu's music is worn down.”
“Is that proof? When ruts at a city gate are deep, do you think one team of horses made them?”

14.23 Qi suffered a famine. Chen Zhen said, “Everyone in the state expects you to have the stores at Tang opened again, but I doubt you should do it again.”
Mencius said, “That would be like Feng Fu. A man named Feng Fu in Jin was good at fighting tigers, but later became a man of sound character. Once when he went into the country, he saw a crowd chasing a tiger. The tiger had its back against a rocky corner, and no one dared approach it. When the people saw Feng Fu, they ran to welcome him. Feng Fu rolled up his sleeves and got out of his carriage. The crowd was delighted, but the men of service laughed at him.”

14.24 Mencius said, “The mouth's taste for food, the eye's attraction to colors, the ear's pleasure in sounds, the nose's pleasure in scents, and the limbs' desire for comfort are parts of our nature. Yet getting these things depends on destiny, so a noble person does not call them simply matters of nature. The kindness between parent and child, the rightness between ruler and minister, proper conduct between host and guest, wisdom among worthy people, and a sage's relation to Heaven's Way depend on destiny. Yet they are rooted in our nature, so a noble person does not call them simply matters of destiny.”

14.25 Haosheng Buhai asked, “What kind of man is Yue Zheng?”
Mencius said, “He is a good man and a trustworthy man.”
“What do ‘good’ and ‘trustworthy’ mean?”
“What is worth wanting is good. Possessing it within yourself is being trustworthy. Being filled with it is being fine. To be filled with it and shine outwardly is being great. To be great and transform others is being a sage. To be a sage in ways no one can fully understand is being almost divine. Yue Zheng has reached the middle of the second stage, trustworthiness, but is below the other four.”

14.26 Mencius said, “Someone who escapes from Mozi's teaching will usually turn to Yang Zhu's, and someone who escapes Yang's will turn to the Confucians. When they come, simply welcome them. People who argue against Yang and Mozi today are like someone chasing an escaped pig and then tying it up again after it has already gone back to its pen.”

14.27 Mencius said, “There are taxes on cloth and thread, taxes on grain, and compulsory labor. A noble ruler uses one at a time and delays the other two. If he uses two at once, people will starve; if all three, parents and children will be separated.”

14.28 Mencius said, “Lords have three treasures: land, people, and government. A lord who treasures pearls and jade will bring disaster on himself.”

14.29 Pen Chengkuo took office in Qi. Mencius said, “Pen Chengkuo will die!”
Pen Chengkuo was killed. Mencius's pupils asked, “How did you know he would be killed?”
“He had some minor skills but had never learned the great Way of noble people. That was enough to get him killed.”

14.30 Mencius visited Teng and stayed at the Upper Palace. A pair of unfinished sandals was set by the window. The people looking after the lodging searched for them but could not find them.
Someone asked Mencius, “Are your followers really given to hiding things?”
“Do you think they came here to steal sandals?”
“Probably not. You have a rule for admitting students: you do not pursue those who leave or refuse those who come. If they come with the right intention, you welcome them.”

14.31 Mencius said, “Everyone has things they cannot bear to see happen. Extend that feeling to the things you now bear to see happen, and you have kindness. Everyone has things they refuse to do. Extend that refusal to things you now do, and you have rightness. If people fully developed their unwillingness to hurt others, their kindness would have no limit. If they fully developed their unwillingness to break into someone else's house, their rightness would have no limit. If they fully developed their refusal to accept being spoken to with contempt, they would act rightly wherever they went. A man of service who speaks when it is not yet right to speak is trying to get something through his words. One who stays silent when it is right to speak is trying to get something through his silence. Both ways are like sneaking into another person's house.”

14.32 Mencius said, “Good speech uses familiar words to convey a far-reaching meaning. A good Way asks for simple commitments with wide benefits. A noble person speaks of matters close at hand, yet the Way is present in his words. He commits to improving himself, and the world is set right. People's trouble is that they leave their own fields to weed other people's. They demand much from others but take little responsibility themselves.”

14.33 Mencius said, “Yao and Shun followed their nature. Tang and King Wu returned to it through effort. When every movement and gesture fits proper conduct, virtue has reached its height. A person weeps for the dead because he feels sorrow, not for the sake of those still alive. He follows virtue without turning aside, not to get a salary. He speaks truthfully, not to make others praise his conduct. A noble person follows the right rules and waits for destiny.”

14.34 Mencius said, “When you speak to people of high rank, think little of their rank. Do not be overawed by their splendor. If I achieved my aims, I would not build halls several ren high with exposed rafters many feet long. I would not set a banquet a full square zhang in front of me or have hundreds of concubines serve me. I would not spend my time drinking and playing, galloping after game with a thousand carriages behind me. I would not do any of the things they do. What I hold to follows the practices of ancient times. Why should I fear them?”

14.35 Mencius said, “Nothing nurtures the heart better than having few desires. If someone has few desires, he will lose only a little of what is good within him. If he has many desires, he will keep only a little of it.”

14.36 Zeng Xi liked the fruit of the sheep-date tree, and Zengzi could not bring himself to eat it after his father's death. Gongsun Chou asked, “Which tastes better, finely cut meat and roast meat, or sheep-dates?”
“Meat, of course,” Mencius replied.
“Then why did Zengzi eat meat but not sheep-dates?”
“Many people enjoy meat, but his father's love of sheep-dates was his own. That is why we avoid speaking a dead person's personal name but not his family name: the family name is shared, while the personal name is his alone.”

14.37 Wan Zhang asked, “When Confucius was in Chen, he said, ‘Why not go home? The young men of my circle are full of ambition but not yet disciplined. They keep making progress without forgetting their first aims.’ Why, while in Chen, did he think of the ambitious men of Lu?”
Mencius said, “Confucius said, ‘If I cannot find people who follow the middle way, I must choose the ambitious or the careful. The ambitious advance, while the careful refuse to do wrong.’ Of course Confucius wanted people who followed the middle way, but he could not be sure of finding them, so he thought of the next best.”
“What kind of person is ambitious in this sense?”
“People like Qin Zhang, Zeng Xi, and Mu Pi. Confucius called them ambitious.”
“Why?”
“They made grand claims about following the people of old, but when you examined what they did, their actions did not match their words. If he could not find ambitious people either, he wanted people who refused to take part in anything dirty. They were careful, and they were his next choice. Confucius said, ‘If someone passes my door without entering, I do not regret it only if he is a village conformist. A village conformist harms virtue.’”
“What is a village conformist?”
Mencius said, “He says, ‘Why all these grand claims? Such people say one thing but do another. Why behave so lonely and isolated? We live in this age and should act like others in this age. It is enough to seem good.’ Such a person quietly flatters the world.”
Wan Zhang asked, “But the whole village calls him a decent man, and wherever he goes he behaves like one. Why does Confucius say he harms virtue?”
“Nothing obvious lets you condemn him, and nothing obvious lets you criticize him. He goes along with popular habits and fits into a corrupt age. In private he seems loyal and trustworthy; in action he seems honest. Everyone likes him, and he thinks he is right, but he cannot join the Way of Yao and Shun. That is why he harms virtue. Confucius said, ‘I hate things that seem right but are not. I hate weeds because they may be confused with grain seedlings; flattering speech because it may be confused with rightness; clever talk because it may be confused with trustworthiness; Zheng's music because it may be confused with good music; purple because it may be confused with true red; and village conformists because they may be confused with virtue.’ A noble person simply returns to the enduring standard. Once it is right, ordinary people rise to follow it; then false and harmful things disappear.”

14.38 Mencius said, “From Yao and Shun to Tang was more than five hundred years. Yu and Gao Yao knew the earlier sages by seeing them in person; Tang knew them from what he heard. From Tang to King Wen was more than five hundred years. Yi Yin and Lai Zhu knew the earlier sage by seeing him; King Wen knew him from what he heard. From King Wen to Confucius was more than five hundred years. The Grand Duke Wang and Sanyi Sheng knew King Wen in person; Confucius knew him from what he heard. From Confucius to today is only a little more than a hundred years. We are not far from the sage's time, and we live very near the place where he lived. Yet if there is no one to carry on his work now, then perhaps there will be no one at all!”