Mencius Wisdom

Author: Kong Qingmao, Yang Jing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: It is said that the era we live in is one of the revival of Chinese culture. To speak of Chinese culture, Chinese thought, and wisdom, one must first understand the Pre-Qin philosophers. This is the first peak in the history of Chinese thought, the source of Chinese thought, and has already, is currently, and will continue to influence China and the world. As a representative of the Confucian school in the mid-Warring States period, Mencius actively engaged in social and political life, constructed social order, and upheld the entire Chinese nation, becoming the mainstream of Chinese culture for over two thousand years. The book Mencius was originally listed alongside the Pre-Qin philosophers. After the Tang Dynasty, Han Yu claimed to inherit Confucius and Mencius, elevating Mencius's status. By the Five Dynasties and Northern Song period, it entered the "Nine Classics" and became a classic. It was also one of the "Four Books" (alongside the Analects, the Great Learning, and the Doctrine of the Mean), making Mencius the "Second Sage," second only to Confucius. Today, with the commercial wave of traditional culture, books like the "Four Books," "Five Classics," and the "Hundred Schools of Thought" are being reprinted in abundance. The traditional culture seems very popular, with many private academies and Confucian schools being established, calling themselves "classics readers," creating quite a buzz. But I believe this is not a genuine revival but merely a frenzy. Reading a little of the Analects or Mencius, understanding a bit of the surface, knowing a few famous quotes, and learning some classical Chinese is better than nothing, but it does not truly allow one to grasp the wisdom of Confucianism. Great wisdom is not small cleverness; it is thought, not technique. If it is not applied in practice or reflected upon in life, it remains merely superficial learning. The ancients spoke of "understanding the classics to apply them." The purpose of "understanding the classics" is "applying them." A theory becomes a classic and influences China for over two thousand years—not by chance, nor by the decree of any ruler. It is a choice made by history. Now, when we read Mencius, we do so not just to read some classical Chinese or learn a few famous quotes for show, but to apply it—to govern, to manage a household, to be a person, to cultivate oneself—to truly become a thoughtful person, someone who thinks, rather than someone whose mind is cluttered with randomly. Those who have received modern education would surely say that these are all feudal-era thoughts, far removed from modern society. Yes, but no form of thought, including Marxism, can predict events hundreds or thousands of years in the future. Our current social system, institutions, and reforms are things that Marx, like Confucius and Mencius, could never have dreamed of. Why can't we also apply the basic theory of Marxism to our social practice? The fundamental ideas of Confucianism, those that transcend social forms and political systems, remain very meaningful to us today. With this in mind, let us read Mencius. It may not be realistic to bring Mencius back from the dead to speak for himself, but linking his thoughts to our current reality and letting him comment on today's world is worth a try.