Mencius said to Song Goujian of the State of Song, “Do you enjoy persuading rulers? Let me tell you the proper attitude for such persuasion. When others understand and appreciate you, you should appear self-composed and at ease; when others do not understand or appreciate you, you should equally appear self-composed and at ease.”
Song Goujian asked, “How can one achieve this state of being self-composed and at ease?”
Mencius replied, “By honoring virtue and finding joy in righteousness, one can achieve this state. Therefore, a scholar does not abandon righteousness when in adversity, nor does he deviate from the Way when in prosperity. By not abandoning righteousness in adversity, the scholar preserves his true self; by not deviating from the Way in prosperity, he ensures that the people will not be disappointed in him. The sages of antiquity, when their ambitions were realized, bestowed their grace upon the people; when their ambitions were unfulfilled, they cultivated their own character to demonstrate the Way to the world. This is what is meant by: in adversity, one cultivates one’s own virtue in solitude; in prosperity, one brings goodness to the whole world.”
Note
This passage from the Jin Xin I chapter of the Mencius records a classic dialogue between Mencius and Song Goujian, a traveling persuader. It not only explores the conduct of ancient intellectuals on the political stage but also introduces one of the most famous and core life maxims in Confucianism. Drawing on traditional commentaries and historical context, we can understand its underlying thought through the following dimensions:
- An Independent Personality Transcending Worldly Praise and Blame: The Realm of Being “Self-Composed”
Song Goujian was a typical “traveling persuader” of his time, a group of people who often tied their personal honor, disgrace, gains, and losses to whether a ruler appreciated them. Mencius taught him that a true gentleman should be “xiao xiao” (a state of being self-composed, content, and free from worldly desires). The foundation of this state lies in “honoring virtue and finding joy in righteousness” – internalizing morality and justice as life’s greatest pleasures. When a person’s sense of worth stems from inner moral steadfastness rather than external evaluation and fame, they can completely break free from worldly anxieties over personal gains and losses, achieving the composure and elegance of “being unperturbed when others do not recognize one’s worth.” - The Moral Bottom Line for Advancing and Retreating: “Not Abandoning Righteousness in Adversity, Nor Deviating from the Way in Prosperity”
Here, Mencius established a bottom line that scholars must adhere to regardless of favorable or unfavorable circumstances. In times of “adversity” (unfulfilled ambitions), people are most likely to compromise or drift with the current for survival or advancement, but Mencius emphasized “not abandoning righteousness” to preserve inner purity (preserving one’s true self). In times of “prosperity” (fulfilled ambitions), people are most prone to arrogance, extravagance, and abuse of power, but Mencius emphasized “not deviating from the Way” to live up to the expectations of the people. This two-way moral constraint ensures that Confucian intellectuals can maintain the integrity and nobility of their character in any situation. - The Ultimate Life Guide of an Eternal Maxim: “Cultivate Virtue in Solitude in Adversity; Bring Goodness to the World in Prosperity”
This is the crowning point of the passage and the spiritual totem for countless Chinese literati and patriots throughout history. Mencius perfectly unified personal moral cultivation with social responsibility. In chaotic times or adversity, since one cannot change the world, one should retreat to cultivate oneself and be a clear stream in a muddy world (cultivating virtue in solitude). Once there is an opportunity to fulfill one’s ambitions, one must extend this morality to the world and benefit all people (bringing goodness to the whole world). This wisdom of advancing or retreating with ease, and cultivating both inner and outer virtues, endowed Confucian thought with immense resilience, making it the highest standard for intellectuals to establish their lives and missions throughout over two millennia of Chinese history.
孟子谓宋勾践曰：“子好游乎？吾语子游。人知之，亦嚣嚣；人不知，亦嚣嚣。”
曰：“何如斯可以嚣嚣矣？”
曰：“尊德乐义，则可以嚣嚣矣。故士穷不失义，达不离道。穷不失义，故士得己焉；达不离道，故民不失望焉。古之人，得志，泽加于民；不得志，修身见于世。穷则独善其身，达则兼善天下。”
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