Mencius (book)

Mencius's core ideas on education and human nature were largely shaped during the Warring States period. When the Zhou dynasty was ended by the Qin, Mencius and other scholars went to the different kingdoms and advised the rulers and people like in the Jixia Academy. It was during this time that Mencius was able to access, and further developed the philosophical doctrines of Confucius. The creation of the Mencius, serves as a further elaboration on the Confucian school of thought called 'subjective idealism'. Through this work, Mencius developed the theory of natural goodness (xingshan), that confers that all people have intrinsic cardinal virtues, and that these virtues are developed in the same way that knowledge is cultivated. The Mencius came to be regarded as one of the most important texts that explores the philosophy of Confucianism—mainly due to its philosophical dialogue with the Analects. Despite its importance, the Mencius was not canonized as one of the Chinese classics until the Song dynasty (960 – 1279). Interpretation Various interpretations exist of the Mencius as a philosophical and literary text. E. Bruce Brooks and A. Taeko Brooks state that these various interpretations belong to a continuous discourse that represents each new generation of readers. Examples are scholars such as James Legge, who opened the text to Western readers by comparatively exploring the Mencius through a Victorian missionary perspective. The text's ability to transcend culture and time is seen by scholars such as Behuniak as what canonises the work as a world classic. == Content ==

There are seven chapters within the Mencius, each divided into two halves. The book's narrative depicts its characters' extensive dialogues on specific philosophical arguments, alongside Mencius's own reflections upon them in the form of short sentences. Most of the chapters that explore moral philosophy are presented as conversations with other thinkers, while those offering political counsel are depicted as conversations with rulers. Frequently explored is Mencius's most famous idea that there exists intrinsic good in human nature. His argument that each person possessed an inborn potential of virtue, contrasts with the position of contemporary figure Yang Zhu (440 – 360 BC), who argued that that human nature is motivated by self-interest. Mencius argues that all people have innate compassion, and goes further to imply that compassion is a universal duty. == Influences on hermeneutics ==

Asides from its influences on Neo-Confucianism. The Mencius has also had an effect on the field of literary discourse in China, mainly in a direction for Chinese literary criticism that resembles Western intentionalist hermeneutics. This concept of interpretation, termed "Mencian literary criticism", is seen as having dominated the methodology of literary criticism and interpretation in China since its emergence. Though Mencian literary criticism is seen as having fostered intentionalist hermeneutics in China. Gearney notes that the form of intentionalism within the book differs from the style of traditional Western intentionalist modes of criticism. This difference is mainly to do with Mencius's emphasis on learning the author's contextual settings during the conception of the work, instead of the author's own feelings during its conception. Hence, the standard by which a work should be analysed does not involve the sentiments of the author at the moment of conception, as characterised by E. D. Hirsh. Rather, Mencian standard posits that one should become acquainted with the author's personal, cultural, and political context before evaluating a literary work. == Selected translations ==

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