42 pages • 1 hour read
MenciusMencius
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Key Figures
Mencius
Mencius or Mengzi (372-289 BCE) is the Chinese philosopher, and follower of Confucius, upon whose conversations and sayings the text Mencius is based. He did not, according to recent scholarship, personally write this work. However, it is likely that the disciples who did write it transcribed his words accurately, because the traditions of discipleship at the time dictated a respect for the “master” and hence a desire to be faithful to his views.
Further, evidence shows that Mencius did indeed travel around various courts as described in Mencius, advising different real, living, rulers. It is also the case that many of the meetings described took place, though it is harder to verify the content of the discussions that occurred. He was one of the most important interpreters of the thought of Confucius and a central figure in the Confucian philosophical tradition.
Confucius
Confucius (551-479 BCE) is a Chinese philosopher and original source of the philosophy of Confucianism. Within Mencius, Confucius and his teaching play a central role. Mencius sees his task as being to interpret and protect the teaching and legacy of Confucius. As such, the words and sayings of Confucius are frequently cited and treated as an authority on a variety of moral and political issues. Relatedly, Mencius also sees it as his role to refute any potential heretical interpretations of the Confucian tradition. Most notable in this case are his attacks on Yang Chu and Mo Ti, two philosophers of the time who advocated egotism and universal love, respectively.
The character and person of Confucius himself is also venerated throughout the text. Mencius says, “Ever since man came into this world, there has never been one greater than Confucius” (35). Confucius is held up as a paragon of virtue, wisdom, and rhetoric.
Kao Tzu
Kao Tzu (420-350 BCE) was a philosopher of the warring states period, like Mencius. His writings are no longer extant, but Book VI of Mencius describes how he debated the moral character of human nature with Mencius. Kao Tzu claimed that human beings are essentially amoral, whereas Mencius claimed they are essentially good.
