Meng Zi [Photo/sdwht.gov.cn]

Mencius (372-289 BC), also known as ’Master Meng’ (Meng Zi), was an ancient Chinese thinker, educator and Confucian philosopher during the Warring States Period (475-221BC).

His birth name was Meng Ke, and he was born in the State of Lu, only 30 kilometers south to Qufu, Shandong, Confucius' birthplace.

He was often honored as the ’Second Sage’ of Confucianism (the first sage is Confucius himself). He inherited Confucius’ ideas and developed them with his own philosophy, in many ways.

He is most famous for his theory of human nature, advocating that all human beings share an innate goodness that either can be cultivated through education and self-discipline or squandered through neglect and negative influences.

The Mencius is a book of his conversations with kings of that time. In contrast to the short and self-contained sayings of Confucius, the Mencius consists of long dialogues, arguments and proses.