Mencius condemns boasting military skill as a great sin. A benevolent ruler wins universal longing without fierce battles. A punitive campaign means rectifying tyranny; people welcome such righteous forces, so brutal warfare is unnecessary.
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.
Confucius traced his teachings back to Yao and Shun,and took Wen and Wu as his models for institutions.Above, he conformed to the rhythms of Heaven’s seasons;below, he followed the patterns of earth, water, and soil.
The Master said:“Who but King Wen could be truly free from worry?He had King Ji as his father and King Wu as his son –his father initiated the enterprise, and his son carried it forward.”