Mencius advises scholars to hold moral superiority over nobles. He dismisses lords’ lavish palaces, feasts and grand hunts as worthless excess. Rooted in ancient righteous principles, he fears no powerful figures who only chase material luxury.
Zigong warns hasty words expose ignorance and compares Confucius to unreachable heaven. He depicts Confucius’ unmatched moral governance power: people would thrive, submit and unite under his rule, making him irreplaceable.