Mencius (circa 372 to 289 BCE) was a Chinese philosopher of the Warring States period and, after Confucius himself, the most influential early interpreter of Confucianism, earning the traditional title of the second sage. He held that human nature is innately good, comparing ethical cultivation to encouraging a sprout's own natural tendency to grow, a view later orthodoxy within Confucianism came to favour over Xunzi's rival account.
Facts
Birth YearCirca; Britannica gives circa 371 to 289 BCE, and precise dates are not independently attested. Classification
Political Role Connections
Sources
1. Mencius - Wikipedia (Wikipedia)
intro: offered political counsel to rulers of the Warring StatesView the Source 2. Mencius (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
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