Mencius

Introduction

Mencius was a Chinese philosopher during the Period of the Warring States and since the 12th century as the major Confucian thinker after Confucius himself. He brought the teachings of Confucius in fourth century B.C.E. against other dominant movements of philosophy and thoughts particularly those who were associated with Mozi and Yang Zhu. He introduced the concept of positivity of human nature on the basis of Confucian ideal and self cultivation process (Graham, p. 66). There were many critics that were against the concept of Mencius highlighting that human nature is evil.

Confucianism arose during the Period of the Warring States and was later briefly banned under the Qin Dynasty. It was by the Han Emperor Han Wu Di as a political system and ideology is introduced (Zhengming, p. 121-130). Despite a loss of popularity during the culturally very important Tang Dynasty, it remained the most important philosophical movement in China.

Discussion

Confucius did not claim to be a prophet who brought something new, for example in the form of a divine revelation or an incarnation of God. Rather Confucius was a man who went in search of virtue and thereby the past investigated. It has strongly influenced the cultures of China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. The Taoism and Buddhism are two different philosophical systems with much influence in China and neighboring East Asian countries. In Korea and Japan was later adopted Neo-Confucianism as the official ideology of the state. The Korean Dynasty is sometimes an example of a Confucian state (Shun, p. 25).

Humanity or compassion is the virtue associated with the interaction between people. This golden rule plays a fundamental role. In Confucianism, this means that in making any decision must take into account all that has to do with allowing the benefit of all citizens and, depending on the nature of the decision and situation, not only the interests of a person, family or a country.

The second virtue keeps the love, faithfulness and care in a child due to his parents. The principle is sometimes seen as the backbone of Confucianism regarded as someone who adheres to this principle holds, his or her decisions based on humanity and therefore not behaving selfishly but humbly and with dignity. Filial obedience is highly valued worn as a form of love which sometimes must abandon own will, and out of respect and reverence for parents who willing to sacrifice themselves (http://plato.stanford.edu, p. a1-3).

In Confucianism does justice failure to act in their own interests if it is not in the interest of others. It means that for the greater good acting, for example family, society or country. A righteous person considers the interests of others as his own interest. When a righteous rich person during a famine such as grain would buy and distribute arms to the famine to go, that would be for him to ensure that his poor fellow men would survive and his possessions were not going to steal and revolt. In this way justice plays also in its own ...