Anthropology of Mencius
Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Associate Professor of the Department of Religious Studies, University of Tehran;
10.22034/ra.2023.560909.2811
Abstract
This article has analyzed the anthropology of Mencius, one of the greatest sages of ancient China and a very important influence on the intellectual and practical life of the people of the Far East. The central theme of Mencius' philosophy is his understanding of human nature. For Mencius, the question of the true nature of man is a true and fundamental question that must be answered in his existential structure. The knowledge of human nature is derived from his understanding of God/Tin on the one hand and from his idea of the perfect human being on the other hand. He considers human nature to be good and mentions the dimensions of human existence in three elements: 1- The human body, which is not bad in itself, but must be controlled by the conscious mind; 2- The mind (heart), through which man can act as a man. The way to reach the perfect mind is to develop and nurture it through thinking. 3- Human nature, an aspect of human existence, which is the creator of humanity. It appears and is manifested by the perfect mind and the body is its carrier; But it is never the same as mind and body. Human nature is a pure truth, which every human being has, even the wicked; Goodness is pure because there are no bad elements in it. This is the aspect that needs to be discovered and nurtured.
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