Gongdu Zi asked Mencius, “Teng Geng is studying under your guidance; by all means, you should treat him with courtesy. Why, then, do you refuse to answer his questions?”
Mencius replied, “I do not answer those who ask questions by relying on their noble status, those who ask by relying on their reputation for worthiness, those who ask by relying on their seniority in age, those who ask by relying on their past merits, or those who ask by relying on old friendships. Teng Geng falls into two of these five categories.” (Note: According to later scholars, Teng Geng was the younger brother of the ruler of Teng, thus relying on his noble status; he also possessed a certain reputation for talent, thus relying on his worthiness.)
Note
This passage from the Jin Xin I chapter of the Mencius is a profound exposition on “educational equality” and the “attitude toward learning.” Drawing on historical context and Confucian classics, we can understand its underlying thought through the following dimensions:
- Defending the Purity of Academics: Breaking Privileges and Secular Ties
During the Warring States period, the noble class was accustomed to bringing secular privileges into the academic sphere. As the younger brother of the ruler of Teng, Teng Geng was used to being revered and inevitably carried a condescending or entitled attitude when seeking instruction. Mencius astutely perceived this mindset and resolutely resisted it. He proposed the principle of “five refusals to answer,” the core of which is to strip away the learner’s social status, wealth, seniority, and personal connections. In Mencius’ view, everyone is equal before the truth, and the academic realm must never become an extension of secular privileges and worldly socializing. - Establishing the Correct Attitude Toward Learning: Only an “Empty Self” Can Receive Instruction
The deeper logic behind Mencius’ “five refusals” is his strict demand for the “attitude toward learning.” Whether relying on noble status, worthiness, or seniority, the essence is that the mind is filled with arrogance and prejudice, lacking reverence for knowledge and the teaching profession. Confucianism emphasizes that “pride invites loss, while humility brings benefit.” If a learner carries these secular burdens, their mind cannot achieve a state of “emptying oneself” (being open and receptive). Mencius’ refusal to answer was not out of personal pique, but a “wake-up call” style of educational method, intended to shatter the other’s arrogance and force them to correct their attitude and return to a pure heart for seeking knowledge. - The Dignity of the Teaching Profession and the Independent Personality of Intellectuals
Facing the child of a noble family, Mencius did not choose to flatter or compromise; instead, he held fast to the bottom line of an educator. This proud stance of “refusing to answer” is precisely the embodiment of the independent personality of Confucian intellectuals. Mencius used this to declare to the world: the teaching profession is sacred and inviolable, and the imparting of knowledge must be built on mutual respect and sincere exploration. This thought not only established the norms of “respecting teachers and valuing education” for later generations but also set a noble example for traditional Chinese literati to never bow to the nobility and to uphold truth and principles.
公都子曰：“滕更之在门也，若在所礼。而不答，何也？”孟子曰：“挟贵而问，挟贤而问，挟长而问，挟有勋劳而问，挟故而问，皆所不答也。滕更有二焉。”
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