Mencius advocates critical reading: blind faith in classics equals having no books. He doubts the Book of Documents’ bloody battle record, arguing the supremely benevolent King Wu would face little resistance against tyrant Zhou, so only a small part of the chapter holds truth.
Mencius claims no truly just wars occurred in the Spring and Autumn age, though some rulers acted less brutally. Only the Son of Heaven held the right to launch punitive campaigns; equal states had no authority to attack one another.
Mencius condemns King Hui of Liang as cruel. Benevolent rulers spread love outward, yet this king sacrificed common folk for land wars, then forced his beloved kin to die in battles, letting cruelty toward strangers ruin his own loved ones.
Mencius stresses prioritizing essentials: wise men focus on urgent tasks, benevolent ones prioritize kin and worthies. Yao and Shun followed this. He criticizes those fussing over trivial rituals while ignoring core mourning and dining etiquette fundamentals.
Mencius puts forward graded love: cherish creatures without full benevolence, treat people kindly yet less intimately than family. True virtue starts with loving relatives, expands to caring for people, and finally extends affection to all natural things.
Mencius warns against abandoning core morals or neglecting dear ones, as such lapses spread to all conduct. He also states that those who rush forward hastily will retreat quickly, stressing steady, gradual self-cultivation.
Mencius states gentlemen practice the Dao when the world is upright, and sacrifice themselves to defend it amid chaos. He firmly rejects compromising moral truth to cater to worldly interests, stressing the Dao’s supreme dignity.
Gongsun Chou asks Mencius to simplify the lofty Way for ordinary people. Mencius refuses to lower moral standards, comparing teachers to skilled craftsmen. He uses heuristic teaching, holding the Middle Way for capable learners to follow.