What is the essence of Confucius and Mencius’ thought?

Confucius is the founder of Confucianism. Confucianism has a profound influence on Chinese culture. Naturally, we cannot but mention him. This is also the pride of Chinese history and culture in the world. Some of Confucius’ thoughts still have practical significance today. , know how to adapt, can it still be used? Mainly because Confucius’ thoughts on the spiritual realm are still applicable today. For example:

According to personality realm, people are divided into three categories: villain, gentleman and saint;

According to psychological category, people are divided into three categories: wise, brave and benevolent;< /p>

It can be summarized into nine realms:

The villain’s wise man (Xiao Zhi),

The villain’s brave man (Xiao Yong),

The benevolent person (little virtue).

The gentleman is wise (great wisdom),

The gentleman is brave (great courage),

The gentleman is benevolent (great virtue).

The wise man of the sage (holy wisdom),

The brave man of the sage (holy courage),

The benevolent man of the sage (holy virtue).

Opening the textbook, people can understand the essence of Confucius' thought, which is: taking "benevolence" as the core, "ritual" as the form, and focusing on self-cultivation. Among them, the connotation of "benevolence" is very rich. For example, in "The Analects of Confucius", "A benevolent person loves others", "There is no need to survive to harm benevolence, and there is a need to kill oneself to achieve benevolence", "A benevolent person wants to establish himself, so he helps others, and if he wants to achieve himself, he can help others." It can be seen from other remarks that "benevolence" is a noble spiritual and moral realm and precious ideological sentiments, as well as a personal value orientation towards others and groups. Therefore, "benevolent government" has become the most ideal political model in Confucius' mind. To govern with virtue, to win the trust of the people, to work diligently and care for the people, to use money frugally and to care for the people, to deal with the people's worries, etc., can be said to be the most basic requirements for implementing benevolent government; the central meaning of "ritual" includes not only "gifts" ", "etiquette" and other contents, and more broadly refers to a set of etiquette systems and concepts that maintain the normal order of the country and society.

There is no doubt that Confucius’ thought with “benevolence” and “propriety” as its central content has a profound influence in China, the Chinese community around the world, and even the whole world. However, during the "Cultural Revolution" in the 1960s and 1970s, the Chinese government once called on people to "destroy the four olds" and "overthrow Confucius" on the grounds that Confucius' thoughts were "too feudal" and "loyalty was too important." ”, the concept is “too moderate”, etc. "That was a special era when Confucian culture was misinterpreted for political reasons." Ding Chen, deputy director of Qufu Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau, said, "How to understand the essence and dross requires a nation to think."

However, today, looking at China, people’s emphasis on Confucius’ thoughts can be seen everywhere:

The Chinese government advocates justice in its strategy for governing the country, as the so-called "politics must be upright"; at the same time, it attaches great importance to benevolence and righteousness. , advocating “ruling the country with virtue” while maintaining the spirit of the rule of law. In the "Three Represents" proposition put forward by the Communist Party of China, the ultimate goal is "the interests of the masses." Under the guidance of this policy, governments at all levels and localities currently regard being honest, diligent, and caring for the people as their policy guidelines.

“Confucius’ thoughts have guiding significance for policy makers all over the world.” Zhang Zhuxiu, deputy director of the Office of the Shandong Provincial Department of Personnel, said, “No matter which regime, if it is unfair and unjust, it will not serve the people. It is impossible for this regime to last long without considering the interests of the people.

”

In the cultural field, the influence of Confucius is still deeply rooted in people’s hearts after more than 2,500 years: in thousands of universities, middle schools, and schools in China such as Qufu Normal University, Confucius Middle School, and Qufu Experimental Primary School. On the primary school campus, the statue of Confucius is very eye-catching - as a world-renowned cultural saint and great educator, Confucius's status in the hearts of students is still irreplaceable;

In addition to the campus, Confucius plays an important role in the entire Chinese cultural circle Its influence is unparalleled: the publications "Confucius Research" and "Confucius and China" founded by the China Confucius Foundation and other units are distributed all over the world; the International Confucius Cultural Festival organized by the National Tourism Administration is held more than once a year. In 2017, distinguished guests including many internationally renowned cultural masters, senior Chinese government officials, and foreign envoys attended the conference; there were more than 100 various websites about Confucius with the main content of promoting Confucius culture; Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, "Three "Confucius" has been listed as one of the 100 patriotic education bases in the country; countless units and enterprises have framed and hung Confucius' thoughts and speeches on their walls as a symbol of citizen moral construction, minors' ideological education, citizen quality, and Textbooks on corporate culture and other aspects are available for people to learn and experience...

In the economic field, many of Confucius' ideas are widely advocated and used by people. Manufacturing companies rely on product quality to win the market, as Confucius said: “If a worker wants to do his job well, he must first sharpen his tools. "; Enterprises require employees to keep learning in order to make progress. As Confucius said, "If you are kind and don't want to learn, you will be ignorant. "; Enterprises pay attention to honest management. Confucius once mentioned that "The Master has four teachings: literature, conduct, loyalty, and trustworthiness"...

In fact, in addition to ideological reference and application, in real economic life Among them, people's worship of Confucius is ubiquitous: "Kongfujiajiu" has become the mid-range liquor with the largest export volume in China; "Confucius Tofu" and "Shili Ginkgo" are must-try dishes for all those who travel to Qufu. Fast and famous food; "Queli Hotel" is the most popular four-star hotel among tourists at home and abroad in Qufu City, and there are as many as 76 hotels in Qufu City related to the name of Confucius; an entrepreneur in Shanghai invested tens of millions of yuan , a Confucius Chinese and English school was built in Qufu City, with students coming from several provinces and cities in China; in addition, there are more than 100 kinds of products such as sesame oil and pancakes named with fonts related to Confucius' name; every year, more than 300 Tens of thousands of tourists from home and abroad come to Qufu to worship and worship Confucius, bringing in ticket revenue of nearly 15 million yuan during this year's May Day holiday alone...

Kong Lingwen, the 76th generation grandson of Confucius who is in his 30s this year, He is the owner of "Kong's Handmade Cloth Shoes Factory". At first, he did not register a brand, but only produced and sold his own products, but his business was average. Later, he was guided by others and built his own "Kong's Handmade Cloth Shoes Factory" website, and the business was very fast. It gets bigger and bigger. He said that Confucius has a great influence in the world. As his descendants, we first want to use the influence of our ancestors to increase the popularity of our products. Secondly, this is also an expansion and extension of the influence of our ancestors. . He revealed that his cloth shoes just sell better than other brands, and “it’s okay to disagree.” “Confucius’ thoughts contain very rich and profound connotations. "Kong Fanjin, professor of the Chinese Department of Shandong University, said, "In today's society, from the government to ordinary people, the reason why everyone pays more and more attention to it just shows that there are reasons worthy of people doing this in Confucius' thought. Among them, 'benevolence and righteousness, The content of "Integrity" is in line with the value orientation of today's society. ”

In 1988, 75 Nobel Prize winners from around the world issued a declaration at the Paris Conference: If mankind wants to survive in the 21st century, it must draw wisdom from Confucius 2,500 years ago.< /p>

“It should be said that so far, people may have only realized part of its true meaning. "Kong Fanyin, a 79-year-old world-renowned expert on Confucius who has been engaged in cultural relics protection for more than 60 years in his life and former deputy director of Qufu Municipal Cultural Relics Management Committee, said, "Time flies, and in the future, people will have a deeper understanding of this. . ”

People-oriented thinking is the essence of Mencius’ thinking. Mencius’ people-oriented thinking is reflected in his understanding of the generation and maintenance of monarchy, and his understanding of the relationship between king and people. It is reflected in his understanding of whether a war should be launched and the factors that determine whether a war is won or lost. It can be said that Mencius's words are full of concern for the people, and Mencius' people-oriented thinking cannot be ignored at all times. It is a milestone in the history of ancient and modern thought.

Keywords: Milestones in the presentation of Mencius’ folk-centered thought

Mencius, who was born in the middle of the Warring States Period, faced princes striving for hegemony by force and people trapped in dire straits. The hegemonic society, with its feelings of pleading for the people, its wise and exquisite philosophy, and its unyielding manliness, has put forward a series of its own ideological doctrines and policy proposals, which clearly reflects the characteristics of people-oriented thinking. Its people-centered thinking is reflected from the following aspects.

1. Understanding of the formation and maintenance of monarchy

Precisely because Mencius had a very strong people-oriented thinking in his mind, he understood the reasons for the generation and existence of monarchy. Meaning has its own weird familiarity. First of all, he quoted "Book" and said: "Heaven has sent down the people to be kings and teachers, only to say that they will help God's favor in all directions. Guilty and innocent, but I am here, how dare the world dare to surpass its ambitions?" (" Mencius: King Hui of Liang") Mencius quoted this passage from "The Book" to show that the monarch is an object created by heaven and is used to assist heaven in governing the people and educating the people; in front of heaven, everything is included The monarch is equal in the inner world, and no one can act arbitrarily.

While proclaiming the divine right of kings, Mencius also emphasized the "return of the people". He quoted from "The Book": "Heaven sees me and the people are short-sighted, and Heaven listens to me and the people listen" to warn the rulers: " Those who win the hearts and minds of the people win the world; those who lose the hearts of the people lose the world" ("Mencius Li Lou Shang"). If a king wants to make the people support him, he must pay attention to the hearts of the people. He used the story of Yao and Shun as an example to illustrate this point. "Shun served Yao for twenty-eight years, which was beyond the power of man and heaven. Yao died, and after three years of mourning, Shun avoided Yao's son to the south of the Nanhe River. The princes in the country did not look after Yao. The son of the emperor was Shun; the one who was imprisoned was not the son of Yao, but the son of Shun; the one who sang songs was not the son of Yao but the son of Shun, so he said: "Heaven". After that, he came to China and lived in the palace of Yao. Forcing Yao's son is usurpation, not Heaven's will. Taishou said: "Heaven sees me and the people are short-sighted, and God listens to me and the people listen." This is what "the people return" chooses "Heaven". Above it is "Heaven", but in fact it is "the people return". It is the will of the people, which determines who will be the emperor. "Heaven and" seems to be a cover, and "people's return" is the criterion of legitimacy. Sometimes Mencius did not even use the guise of "Heaven", but bluntly advocated that the power of the emperor and the king was given by the subjects: "If the king has serious faults, he will remonstrate. If he refuses to listen again and again, he will change his throne." ("Heaven") Mencius·Wan Zhang 2》). This means that the king's status and power are not absolute. If he makes a big mistake and refuses to listen to advice, the subjects can replace him and establish a new king to do things for themselves.

2. Understanding of the relationship between the king and the people

(1) Social division of labor

In his argument with the farmer Xu Xing, Mencius opposed the idea that the king should change the relationship between the king and the people. In recent times, the virtuous king of farming is not beautiful, but the meaning of social division of labor. He said: "There are things for great people, and there are things for small people. If one person's body is prepared by hundreds of workers, if he must prepare it for later use, he will lead the country on the road. Therefore, it is said, either work hard, or work hard. Work; those who work hard govern others; those who govern others eat others, and those who govern others eat others." ("Mencius Teng Wen Gong 1") You are called "Jun", He is called "the people". The ruler rules the world and allows the people to engage in production. This is just a different social division of labor and different work methods. In fact, the two are inherently equal.

( 2) Respect each other

It is precisely because the concept of equality between the king and the people is based on the division of labor in society, so he advocated that the king and the people should respect each other. He said to King Qi Xuan: "The king treats his ministers as brothers. Then the ministers regard the king as their own heart; the king regards the ministers as dogs and horses, and the ministers regard the king as a fellow countryman; the king regards the ministers as earth and mustard, and the ministers regard the king as a bandit." ("Mencius Li Lou Xia") The ministers are not to the king. Blind "loyalty" changes with the monarch's attitude towards his ministers: if the monarch respects his ministers and regards them as confidants and confidants, then the ministers will do their best to him; if the monarch treats his ministers as nothing, then his ministers will Treat the king as a enemy. In short, the king respects his ministers, and the ministers will respect the king. He quoted Cheng Fu as saying to Qi Jinggong: "He is my husband, so why should I fear him?" (" Mencius Teng Wen Gong 1) The king is a man, and I am also a man. We are equal in personality. Why should I be afraid of him? You and I are equal in personality and should respect each other.

(3) Everyone should perform their duties

Mencius emphasized that rulers must fulfill their due obligations. He said: "If you want to be a king, you must fulfill your duties; if you want to be a minister, you must preach "("Mencius Li Lou Shang") If the position assigned to you is to be a monarch, then you must do your job as a monarch and perform your duties well. Otherwise, you will "give up" or "abandon it." "Mencius said to King Xuan of Qi: 'If the king's minister entrusts his wife to his friend, but he is arrogant and wandering, it is the opposite, and his wife is frozen and discouraged. What should I do?' The king said: 'Abandon her.' He said: "If the judges cannot govern the people, what will happen?" The king said, "That's it." He said, "If you don't govern the four realms, what will happen?" Wang Gu told him. (Part 2) Obviously, Mencius used analogies to guide King Xuan of Qi to say that "it is the king's duty to govern the country well", otherwise the people will "give it up" and "abandon it".

(4) Have fun with the people

“If others cannot do it, then they are not above them. It is wrong not to be above others; it is wrong to be above the people but not to enjoy themselves with the people. If you enjoy the people's happiness, the people will also be happy; if you worry about the people's worries, the people will also worry about their worries. "("Mencius: King Hui of Liang") As the ruler of the common people, he should be happy with the common people, otherwise it is wrong. If the ruler takes joy in the joy of the people, then the people also take his joy. Joy is joy; the ruler regards the people's depression as depression, and the people also consider his depression as depression.

(5) The people are valuable. Jun Qing

It should be said that we should pay attention to the status and role of the people since ancient times. For example, "Song of the Five Sons" said: "The people are the foundation of the country, and the foundation is the foundation of the country." Xunzi in the Warring States Period said: "The king is like a boat; the common people are like water." Water carries the boat, water overturns the boat. "Wang Fu in the Eastern Han Dynasty said: "The country is based on the people. "But these statements look at the status and role of the people from the perspective of the maintenance and consolidation of the feudal regime, with the monarch as the main subject and the people as secondary. Mencius, on the other hand, clearly stated that "the people are more valuable than the monarch". After thinking about it, he said: "The people are the most valuable, the country is the second most important, and the king is the least important." "The proposal of this idea was a ground-breaking ideological innovation. It suddenly turned over the idea of ??"the king is more valuable than the people" that people were familiar with at that time, and it was still reasonable and factual, thus allowing people to reflect again: Who is most important in the world? The theory of "the people are more important than the monarch" is the core of Mencius' royal doctrine, the cornerstone of the relationship between monarch and ministers, and the most concentrated expression of Mencius's democracy.

3. Should war be initiated? And the understanding of the factors that determine the outcome of the war

If we understand that war is beneficial to the people and can save the people from fire and water, then we can "kill the king and save the people" ("Mencius" · King Hui of Liang"). He believed that King Wu's attack on Zhou was nothing more than "killing one man, Zhou, and killing a king is unheard of" ("Mencius · King Hui of Liang"). It was this sentence that made Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang great. In anger, "If this old man lives to this day, I will have to kill him." He also removed Mencius from his qualifications in the Confucius Temple, drove him out of the Confucius Temple, and issued an edict that anyone who dared to remonstrate with him would be considered disrespectful to the king. Being angry and saying this is not good for the king's rule, but this just reflects the voice of the people and represents the interests of the people: if the king is in power, he will not practice benevolent government and will not seek benefits for the people, but just If the people are blindly cruel and treat the people as dust and dirt, then the people initiate war. This cruel king is just killing a "single man", so he is no longer worthy of being called a "king".

Mencius also said: "The Book of Records says: 'Tang Yizheng begins with Ge. ’ The whole world believed in it and marched to the east, but the barbarians in the west resented it; they marched in the north, and the barbarians in the north resented it. They said, ‘I am the one behind you? Those who return to the market will not stop, but those who work the fields will not change. Kill the king and tomorrow the people will be happy. If rain falls, the people will be happy. "Book" says: "After eating me, bake it and serve it with soy sauce." ’ ‘Now Yan is oppressing its people, and the king goes to conquer it. The people think that they will save themselves from fire and water, so they eat pots of pulp to welcome the king’s army.

'" ("Mencius: King Hui of Liang") This means that if the war initiated by a king is beneficial to the people, killing his cruel king on behalf of the people and saving the people from fire and water, then the people Just like looking forward to rain in a year of severe drought, they would hope that the army led by this king would come as soon as possible, and they would carry hot rice and insulated kettles to welcome the arrival of his army; if not If this king goes to attack other places first, the people here will complain: Why don't they attack us first?

From the above explanation, it can be seen that Mencius did not oppose war implicitly. If not, He believed that this war was to kill the cruel king, to eliminate harm for the people, and to save the people from fire and water. However, he opposed the idea of ??enriching the country and strengthening the army for the sake of hegemony among the princes. That is aiding Zhou in his cruelty: "If you do not follow the country's principles and are not determined to be benevolent, but seek to fight with force, this is assisting Jie. "("Mencius Gaozi 2") If you realize that your king no longer takes the right path and does not pursue benevolence, but you still have to fight tough battles for him, help him expand territory, and destroy the people, this is inconsistent with What difference does it make to assist a tyrant like Jie? Mencius also angrily criticized the disasters that war has brought to the people, "If we fight for land, we will kill people to fill the fields; if we fight for cities, we will fight and kill people to fill the cities." He believed that those who instigated such a war were man-eating beasts, full of evil: "What they did was to take advantage of the land and eat human flesh. The crime is not punishable by death." "("Mencius Li Lou Shang")

Not only that, Mencius also saw the role of the people in the war, believing that winning or losing a war depends on the support of the people, and that the people win or lose a war. At the critical moment. He said: "The weather is not as good as the right place, and the right place is not as good as the people." "Those who have gained the Tao will receive many help, but those who have lost the Tao will have few." When there is little help, relatives will be there; when there is much help, the whole country will follow. Take the people of the whole country and attack those of your relatives. Therefore, if a righteous man does not fight, he will win in battle. "("Mencius·Gongsun Chou")

In short, people-oriented thinking is the essence of Mencius' thinking. Mencius' people-oriented thinking is reflected in his understanding of the generation and maintenance of monarchy. Now his understanding of the relationship between king and people is reflected in his understanding of whether a war should be launched and the factors that determine whether a war is won or lost. It can be said that Mencius's speech everywhere reflects his concern for the people, always thinking about the people. Paying attention to the status and role of the people, the people are more noble than the king, and the people have the final say. This is the most concentrated expression of Mencius' people-oriented thinking and a ground-breaking ideological stance. Different. Therefore, Mencius’ people-centered thinking is a milestone in the history of ancient and modern thought!