Mencius 孟子
thinker · Zou, Warring States China · 372?–289? BC
A thinker who carried on the teaching of Confucius and held that human nature is good. He travelled from court to court urging rulers to govern humanely, and his conversations survive as the seven books of the Mencius.
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4th century BC · A story told to show that vital spirit cannot be forced. He adds: "Few in the world do not help their seedlings grow."
There was a man of Song who, grieved that his seedlings were not growing, pulled them up a little. He came home worn out and told his family, "I am tired today. I have been helping the seedlings grow." His son ran out to look, and the seedlings had withered.
宋人有閔其苗之不長而揠之者，芒芒然歸。謂其人曰：「今日病矣，予助苗長矣。」其子趨而往視之，苗則槁矣。Mencius, Gongsun Chou I
4th century BC
"The trouble with people is that they love to be teachers of others."
人之患在好爲人師。Mencius, Li Lou I
4th century BC · Speaking of a chapter of the ancient Book of Documents, of which he says he accepts only two or three strips
"If you believe everything in the Book, it would be better to have no Book at all."
盡信書，則不如無書。Mencius, Jin Xin II
1 in 100 Billion · The social network of those who came before us