Mencius accepted gifts from regent Ji Ren and minister Chu Zi but only visited Ji Ren later. He judged ritual sincerity: Ji Ren could not travel, while Chu Zi avoided visiting, making his gift hollow and lacking genuine respect.
After Mencius left Qi state, a man named Yin Shi remarked to others: “If Mencius didn’t realize that the king could never become another Tang or Wu (the sage-kings), then he’s foolish; but if he did know it was impossible, yet still came – then he was merely seeking favor and wealth. He traveled…