On the Translation of On Teng Wengong

On the Translation of On Teng Wengong;

Chen met Mencius and relayed Xu Xing's words: "It's really a wise gentleman; Even so, he still doesn't understand the truth. Xianjun farmed with the people to support himself, while cooking and ruling the country.

Now Tengguo Man Cang food money, against the people to feed themselves. How can we call it wisdom? Mencius asked, "Does Xu Zi have to grow its own food? Sean said, "Yes." Mencius asked, "Does Xu Zi have to knit clothes before getting dressed?" Answer: "No, Xu Zi is wearing coarse cloth."

Mencius asked, "Does Xu Zi wear a hat?" Answer: "Yes." Mencius asked, "What kind of hat do you wear?" A: "Wear a hat made of raw silk." Mencius asked, "Did you knit it yourself?" Answer: "No, I got it with food." Mencius asked, "Why didn't Xu Zi knit it himself?" Answer: "It will hinder farm work." Mencius asked again, "Did Xu Zi cook in a pot and plow with iron farm tools?" Answer: "Yes."

Teng Wengong said to the original:

When Chen saw Mencius, he said, "Honesty has virtue; Although, I have never heard of Tao. Sages and people plow and eat, and govern the country by eating. Today Teng has a granary treasury, so it is a blessing for the people and a blessing for himself. "

Mencius said, "Will Xu Zi plant millet and eat it?" Said, "Of course." "Xu Zi must weave before he wears clothes?" He said, "No, Xu Zi is dressed in brown." "Xu ziguan?" Say "crown" and "off?" Said: "Guan Su." Yue: "What is the sum of self-weaving?" Yue: "No, just use millet." Yue: "Didn't Michell Maxwell Hsu knit it himself?" Said, "It's harmful to farming."

Said, "Xu Zi cultivated the land with iron instead of kettle?" Said, "Of course." Do it yourself? "Yue:" No, just use millet. "

This article was written by Mencius in the middle of the Warring States Period.

Writing background of extended materials: The book "Mencius" consists of seven articles, which is a compilation of Mencius' speeches during the Warring States Period, and records the arguments between Mencius and other hundred schools of thought, the words and deeds of his disciples, and the lobbying of governors. It was compiled by Mencius and his disciples (Zhang Wan and others). ).

Mencius' language is clear, plain and simple, and at the same time it is refined and accurate. As an essay, Mencius is good at argument, more artistic and expressive, and has the nature of literary prose.

Among them, the argumentative essay skillfully uses the method of logical reasoning, and Mencius skillfully uses analogical reasoning, often playing hard to get, repeatedly asking questions, and winding the other party into his own preset conclusion, such as Hui Liang and Wang Xia.

Momentum is an important style feature of Mencius' prose. This style stems from the strength of Mencius' personality cultivation. People with this lofty spirit can overwhelm each other mentally, despise political power, despise material greed, have extraordinary spirit, be upright, selfless and fearless.

Rhetorical devices such as even sentences and overlapping sentences are widely used in Mencius. It is necessary to enhance the momentum of the article and make the style of writing magnificent. If Jiang is determined, it will be unstoppable.

Mencius believed that it was necessary to "cultivate talents in the world" and advocated personality and moral education. He said, "We should strictly observe filial piety." . Moreover, Mencius believes that self-cultivation is the basic point of reading, but he also believes that human goodness cannot be cultivated from the outside (education can only play an influential role), and ultimately it must be realized by one's own thinking. In the method of self-cultivation, we advocate free development and guide the situation.

In addition, Mencius also attached great importance to the learning environment. Only by putting students in a good environment and giving them spontaneous education can they succeed. The influence of Mencius' theory on later generations did not inspire Neo-Confucianism.

Mencius put forward the theory of "inner sage", pointing out that human nature is good, as long as everyone develops goodness, suppresses material desires and reflects on themselves. This method of introspection became the mainstream of Confucianism in later generations. Cheng Hao, Cheng Yi, Lu Jiuyuan, Wang Yangming and other Song and Ming Neo-Confucians all inherited Mencius' theory in this respect.

About the author:

Mencius (about 372 BC-289 BC) was born in Zouguo (now Zoucheng, Jining, Shandong) during the Warring States Period.

A famous philosopher, thinker, politician and educator in the Warring States period, one of the representatives of Confucianism, was second only to Confucius, and was also called "Confucius and Mencius" with Confucius. Advocating "benevolent government", he first put forward the idea that "the people are more expensive than the monarch".

Mencius inherited Confucius' theory of benevolent governance and was a very ambitious politician. As a keen thinker, Mencius realized the characteristics and trends of the times and constructed his own theory during the war when the vassal states joined Lian Heng. Like Confucius, he tried to transform Confucian political theory and idea of governing the country into concrete idea of governing the country and put it into practice around the world.

At that time, various thinkers lobbied the rulers of various countries in order to realize their political opinions. In this social background, Mencius began to travel around the world, lobbying among monarchs and propagating his political views.

Mencius led his disciples around the world when he was about 45 years old. Mencius first went to Qi in Qi Weiwang (356 BC-320 BC). At that time, puffed up with the notoriety of "unfilial", Mencius was "drifting with the flow and being polite".

In the state of Qi, Mencius preached his idea of "Invincible Benevolence". He was so depressed in Qi that he even left Qi without accepting Wang Wei's "one hundred gold" gift.

Mencius saw clearly that Teng Guo's own life was at stake, and it was impossible to carry out his political ideas. In the fifteenth year of Liang Huiwang (320 BC), he left Tengguo for Wei.

At this time, Mencius was 53 years old. King Hui met Mencius and asked, "Hey, is it good for the country to come from afar?" Mencius was most opposed to the monarch saying "profit", so he replied, "King, why talk about profit? Only benevolence and righteousness. "

In 353 BC, Wei was defeated by Qi in the Battle of Guiling. In 34 1 year BC, in the battle of Maling, Wang Wei Shen Wei was captured by the Qi army and died. In 340 BC, Qin Shangyang led an army to attack Wei and captured the son of Mao, a general of Wei. In 330 BC, Wei cut the land on the west of the river to Qin, and in 328 BC, he cut fifteen counties to Qin.

In 323 BC, Zhao Yang, the State of Chu Lingzhu, led the troops to break Wei Jun in Xiangling and gain the land of Wei Bacheng. Therefore, King Hui of Liang said to Mencius, "The State of Jin and Mo Qiang know everything in the world. And my body, the East was defeated by Qi, and my eldest son died; West, lost seven hundred miles in Qin; The south is a disgrace to Chu. I'm ashamed of it, and I'm more willing to pour it than the dead. If so, what can I do? " Mencius told Liang a set of methods of benevolent governance for the people.

In this way, he said, even with sticks, Qin Chu's army can fight with powerful soldiers. Liang asked how to retaliate against Chyi Chin Chu, and Mencius answered the vague truth, which was of course ignored by Liang. In the second year of Mencius' arrival in Wei, Liang died and his son Liang Xiang succeeded him.

Mencius met King Liang Xiang and had a bad impression on him, saying that he didn't look like a monarch. At this time, he died and inherited the throne. Mencius left Wei for Qi.