Mencius (Illustrated Text)

Author: Zhu Xi (Southern Song Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Seven chapters.
Mencius met King Hui of Liang. The king said, "Old man! You have come from thousands of miles away. Will you also bring something beneficial to our state?" Mencius replied, "Why must you say 'benefit'? There is only benevolence and righteousness. The king said, 'What can benefit our state?' The ministers said, 'What can benefit our families?' The scholars and common people said, 'What can benefit ourselves?' When the people above and below mutually seek profit, the state will be in danger. In a ten-thousand-chariot state, those who assassinate the king must be from a thousand-chariot families. In a thousand-chariot state, those who assassinate the king must be from a hundred-chariot families. Taking ten from a thousand and a hundred from a thousand is not considered too much. If one prioritizes profit over righteousness, they will never be satisfied. There has never been a benevolent person who abandoned their parents, nor has there been a righteous person who placed their ruler second. The king should also say only benevolence and righteousness, why must you say 'benefit'?"
[Collected Annotations]
① King Hui of Liang was the Marquis of Wei. He ruled from Daliang and usurped the title of king, posthumously honored as Hui. The Records of the Grand Historian states, "In the thirty-fifth year of King Hui's reign, he treated scholars with humble courtesy and generous gifts to attract them, and Mencius came to Liang."
② "Old man" refers to an elder.
③ The "benefit" the king refers to includes enriching the state and strengthening its military.
④ Benevolence is the virtue of the heart, the principle of love. Righteousness is the regulation of the heart, the propriety of actions. These two sentences summarize the main idea of this chapter, with the following text elaborating on it. This pattern is often followed later.
⑤ This explains the harm of seeking profit to clarify the meaning of "why must you say 'benefit'." "Seek" means to take. The upper takes from the lower, and the lower takes from the upper, hence "mutually seek." The state is in danger refers to the impending calamity of assassination and seizure. "Chariot" is pronounced as "shèng," meaning the number of chariots. A ten-thousand-chariot state refers to the area within the's jurisdiction, a thousand li in circumference, with ten thousand chariots. A thousand-chariot family refers to the's ministers and officials, ruling an area of a hundred li, with a thousand chariots. A thousand-chariot state is a feudal state. A hundred-chariot family is a feudal minister. "Assassinate" means to kill superiors. "Satisfied" is pronounced as "yàn," meaning enough. It means that ministers, taking one-tenth from the king, are already taking too much. If they also prioritize profit over righteousness, they will not just assassinate the king but seize everything, yet their hearts will never be content.
⑥ This explains that benevolence and righteousness are never without benefit, clarifying the meaning of "there is only benevolence and righteousness." "Abandon" means to discard. "Place second" means not to prioritize. A benevolent person must love their parents, and a righteous person must prioritize their ruler. Therefore, if a ruler practices benevolence and righteousness without seeking profit, the people below will be influenced and naturally come to support them.
⑦ Repeated for a conclusion to the two preceding sections. This chapter discusses how benevolence and righteousness are rooted in the inherent nature of the human heart and the public principle of heaven. The desire for profit arises from the contrast between self and others, and the private desire of human nature. Following heaven's principle, one seeks no profit yet finds no harm; indulging in human desire, one seeks profit but finds harm following. This is the difference of a hair's breadth, yet a thousand miles of error. This is the profound meaning of Mencius's book in its beginning, something scholars should carefully observe and clearly discern.
The Grand Historian said, "When I read Mencius's book, every time I reach the section where King Hui of Liang asks, 'What can benefit our state,' I cannot help but put down the book and speak. 'Alas! Profit is indeed the beginning of chaos. The master rarely spoke of profit, always preventing its source. Therefore, he said, 'Those who act in the way of violence and seek profit will accumulate many grievances.' From the to the common people, how different is the harm of loving profit?'
Zhengzi said, 'A gentleman never does not desire profit, but if they make profit their sole focus, it brings harm. Only benevolence and righteousness do not seek profit yet never lack benefit. At that time, all people sought profit and no longer knew of benevolence and righteousness. Therefore, Mencius spoke of benevolence and righteousness but not profit, to cut off the root and block the source to rescue them from harm. This is the heart of the sages.'"
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