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Mencius – Chapter 11.13
Mencius observes people carefully nurture paulownia trees yet neglect cultivating their own moral minds. He laments this absurd imbalance, blaming careless unthinking, and urges people to prioritize nourishing their inner virtuous nature over tending external plants.
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Mencius – Chapter 11.11
Mencius states benevolence is humanity’s innate heart and righteousness our proper path. People rush to retrieve lost livestock yet ignore their lost moral mind. True learning solely aims to reclaim this strayed original heart.
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Mencius – Chapter 11.10
Mencius uses fish and bear paws to illustrate choosing righteousness over life. All people possess this innate moral dignity, seen in starving folks rejecting insulting food. Many lose their original conscience by accepting lavish wealth against moral principles.
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Mencius – Chapter 11.9
Mencius explains the king’s lack of wisdom with the “one sun, ten cold” metaphor. He adds Yi Qiu’s chess fable: two pupils differ not in talent but focus, proving consistent positive influence and full concentration are vital for nurturing innate goodness.
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Mencius – Chapter 11.8
Mencius uses barren Mount Niu as a metaphor: innate moral conscience is gradually worn away by daily desires and bad deeds. Morning pure inner vitality fades without constant nurture, urging people to guard their good hearts actively.