Mencius: All humans have compassion

When I was young, my mother often told me a story titled “Mencius Meets King Hui of Liang,” and I vaguely understood it. Upon growing up and reading the story in the first chapter of “Mencius,” I was completely impressed by Mencius’ grand spirit and eloquence.

The most touching aspect of “Mencius” is his discussion on “all humans have compassion,” which essentially means “seeing others in distress and feeling compassion.”

While traveling among states, Mencius met King Xuan of Qi. The king asked, “Master, can you tell me about how Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin became overlords?” Mencius replied, “Your Majesty, you’ve misunderstood. I am a Confucian, and I advocate governing with virtue and practicing benevolence, not using force to dominate.” The king asked, “If one follows virtue, can they become a king?” Mencius said, “By protecting and caring for the people, one can be a king.”

The king further asked, “Can someone like me also achieve this?” Mencius then recounted a story told by the king’s minister, Hu He. One day, as the king sat in the hall, a person led a trembling ox through the front of the hall. The king found it strange and asked, “Where are you taking the ox?” The person replied, “To be sacrificed.”

In the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 B.C.), there were two significant matters for a state: sacrifice, seeking blessings from heaven, and the military, seeking protection. Sacrifice was a crucial event. The king said, “Don’t kill it. Take it back. I cannot bear to see it in fear. It is innocent.”

Mencius exclaimed: “Your Majesty! With such a heart, you could rule the world! Some may think you’re stingy, but I understand that you cannot bear to see suffering!” The king said: “Although the State of Qi is small, we can afford an ox. I truly couldn’t bear to see the innocent ox trembling and sent to death.”

Mencius observed that the king had a heart that couldn’t bear to see suffering, saying, “A noble person, when facing animals, can’t bear to witness their death; hearing their cries, they can’t bear to consume their meat.” “The Book of Songs” says, “Others have hearts, and I contemplate them.” It means when others have feelings, such as pain, sadness or joy one can think about it and empathize with them.

(The author is a cultural scholar.)

(Translated by Shenzhen Daily)