Mencius said, “He who fully develops his mind knows his nature. Knowing his nature, he knows Heaven. To preserve one’s mind and nourish one’s nature is the way to serve Heaven. Whether one’s lifespan is short or long, remaining steadfast and cultivating oneself to await destiny – this is the way to establish one’s mandate (to fulfill one’s ultimate purpose).”
Note
This passage serves as the opening chapter of the Jin Xin I section of the Mencius. It acts as the “general outline” and core cornerstone of the entire book, as well as of Confucian philosophy of mind and nature. It highly summarizes Mencius’ philosophical system regarding the four core concepts of “mind,” “nature,” “Heaven,” and “destiny.” Drawing on traditional commentaries (such as Zhu Xi’s Collected Commentaries on Mencius), we can understand its underlying thought through the following dimensions:
- Inner Transcendence: The Epistemology of “Developing the Mind, Knowing Nature, and Knowing Heaven”
Mencius broke away from the religious view of an external, sovereign deity, proposing a path of transcendence that “seeks inward.” He believed that the nature endowed by Heaven is purely good (the theory of innate goodness), and the “mind” is the organ that perceives and governs this nature. When a person exhaustively expands and exercises the innate sprouts of compassion, shame, respect, and right/wrong within their mind (fully developing the mind), they can comprehend their original, good nature (knowing nature). Because human nature originates from Heaven, thoroughly understanding human nature is equivalent to understanding the ultimate laws of the universe (knowing Heaven). This establishes the internal logic of the Confucian “unity of Heaven and humanity.” - Moral Practice: The Cultivation Theory of “Preserving the Mind, Nourishing Nature, and Serving Heaven”
If “developing the mind and knowing nature” represents cognitive awakening, then “preserving the mind and nourishing nature” represents practical effort. “Preserving” means keeping the original mind unclouded by external objects, while “nourishing” means cultivating one’s nature through daily moral practice. Mencius believed that although humans possess a good nature, it is easily obscured and lost due to external material desires (what he called “losing one’s original mind”). Therefore, a gentleman must continuously transform this innate goodness into acquired virtue through moral cultivation, thereby conforming to and serving the Way of Heaven (serving Heaven). - Ultimate Realm: The Philosophy of Destiny of “Cultivating Oneself to Await Destiny”
In the real world, an individual’s efforts and their ultimate worldly outcomes (such as lifespan, wealth, or status) are often disproportionate. Here, Mencius proposed an extremely open-minded and resilient philosophy of “establishing one’s mandate.” He argued that while a person cannot control external “destiny” (such as premature death or longevity), they have complete control over internal “self-cultivation.” A gentleman must remain steadfast regardless of whether their lifespan is short or long, focusing all their energy on cultivating their character and calmly waiting for and accepting whatever destiny brings. This attitude of “doing one’s utmost and leaving the rest to Heaven” endowed Confucian intellectuals with immense spiritual resilience and independent character amidst the chaos of the Warring States period.
孟子曰：“尽其心者，知其性也。知其性，则知天矣。存其心，养其性，所以事天也。殀寿不贰，修身以俟之，所以立命也。”
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