Mencius said to Gaozi, “The narrow trails among the mountain paths will become a road if people keep walking on them persistently. But if they stop using them for a while, the thatch grass will block them. Now, the thatch grass has blocked your mind.”
Note
This passage from the Jin Xin II chapter of the Mencius is a profound intellectual admonition Mencius delivered to his disciple Gaozi, using the vivid metaphor of “walking a mountain path.” Drawing on historical context and Confucian classics, we can understand its underlying thought through the following dimensions:
- The “Practice Theory” and “Continuity” of Moral Cultivation: “Will Become a Road if People Keep Walking on Them Persistently”
“Jieran” means to be dedicated and persistent. Mencius pointed out that a person’s moral cognition and level of learning, much like the trails in the mountains, are not innate but must be continuously practiced and explored in the post-natal stage (“using them”). This reflects the Confucian spirit of emphasizing the “unity of knowledge and action” and “sincere practice.” Moral cultivation is not a one-time, sudden enlightenment, but a practical process “walked out” step by step in daily human relationships and everyday life. - “Nipping Problems in the Bud” Against the Current: “If They Stop Using Them for a While, the Thatch Grass Will Block Them”
Mencius astutely revealed the dynamic law of human nature cultivation: if you do not advance, you will retreat. Once the mind stops pursuing truth and nurturing good intentions, various selfish desires, distracting thoughts, and external temptations (the “thatch grass”) will rapidly multiply and reclaim the mind. This metaphor aligns perfectly with the later Neo-Confucian emphasis on “preserving heavenly principles and eradicating selfish desires,” warning scholars to maintain high vigilance and unremitting effort in self-cultivation. - A Precise Diagnosis of a “Blocked Mind” and a Wake-Up Call: “Now, the Thatch Grass Has Blocked Your Mind”
As Mencius’ disciple, Gaozi might have experienced intellectual stagnation, complacency, or been influenced by heterodox teachings during his studies. Instead of using dry preaching, Mencius used the highly visual language of “the thatch grass has blocked your mind” to pinpoint Gaozi’s current mental predicament with unerring accuracy. This was not only a severe criticism of Gaozi personally but also established the “heuristic” and “pointing” teaching style in Confucian education. The later Chinese idiom “茅塞顿开 mao sai dun kai” (suddenly seeing the light/being enlightened) evolved directly from this passage, describing a person who has suddenly cleared up the doubts in their mind.
孟子谓高子曰：“山径之蹊间，介然用之而成路。为间不用，则茅塞之矣。今茅塞子之心矣。”
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