Mencius (孟子)
Item
- Title
- Mencius (孟子)
- Chinese Title
- 孟子
- Romanizations
- Mengzi
- Meng zi
- Meng-tzu
- Author(s)
- Mencius
- Year
- Late 4th century BCE
- Summary
-
The Mengzi (or Mencius) is a foundational Confucian text documenting the dialogues of the philosopher Meng Ke. Its central thesis is that human nature is inherently good (renxing shan), possessing innate seeds of compassion, ritual propriety, wisdom, and righteousness.
Mencius argued that just as water naturally flows downward, humans are naturally inclined toward virtue, though external pressures can corrupt this state. Politically, he advocated for ‘benevolent government’ (renzheng), asserting that rulers exist for the people’s welfare. He famously justified the removal of tyrants who fail their moral duty, prioritizing the populace over the state or the sovereign.
- Item sets
- Classical Texts
Linked resources
| Title | Class |
|---|---|
| Le Livre de Memcius | TranslationSection |
| Liber IV. Memcius, sinicè Mem Tsu | TranslationSection |
| Liber Mentius | TranslationSection |
| Liber Mentsii | TranslationSection |
| Meng Tsee ou le Livre de Mencius. Quatriéme Livre Classique, ou Canonique du second Ordre | TranslationSection |
| Meng Tsëe, ou Livre de Mencius. Quatrième Livre Classique, ou Canonique du second Ordre | TranslationSection |
| Meng-tseu | TranslationSection |
| Oeuvres de Meng Tzeu | TranslationSection |
| 子孟 Meng-Tseu, quatriéme Livre Classique | TranslationSection |
| 子孟 Meng-Tseu, quatrième livre classique | TranslationSection |
| 子孟 Meng-Tseu, quatrième livre classique | TranslationSection |
| 子孟 Meng-Tseu, quatrième livre classique | TranslationSection |
| 孟子 Meng-Tseu, quatrième livre classique | TranslationSection |
| 孟子 Meng-Tseu, quatrième livre classique |
| Title | Class |
|---|---|
 China, seu humana institutio |
Translation |
 Confucius et Mencius (1841) |
Translation |
 Confucius et Mencius (1852) |
Translation |
 Confucius et Mencius (1858) |
Translation |
 Confucius et Mencius (1868) |
Translation |
 Confucius et Mencius (1874) |
Translation |
 Cursus litteraturae sinicae |
Translation |
 Das himmlische Reich, oder, China's Leben, Denken, Dichten und Geschichte |
Translation |
 Description [...] de l'empire de la Chine (1735) |
Translation |
 Description [...] de l'empire de la Chine (1736) |
Translation |
 Doctrinae Sinicae brevis indagatio |
Translation |