孟子

Mencius, born in the state of Zou during the Warring States period, was a Confucian philosopher whose life is known primarily through the text that bears his name, the Mengzi. He studied under disciples of Confucius's grandson and traveled among the feudal courts, offering counsel to rulers on benevolent government. His philosophy centered on the innate goodness of human nature, arguing that virtue develops through cultivation, and he famously asserted that the people's welfare outweighs the ruler's authority. The Mengzi, a collection of dialogues and sayings, became one of the Four Books of Neo-Confucianism, canonized in the Song dynasty. Its literary style, marked by vivid metaphors and rigorous argument, influenced Chinese prose and political thought. Mencius's legacy as the 'Second Sage' of Confucianism endures, with his ideas on moral psychology and just governance remaining foundational in East Asian intellectual history.