Book 464: The Books of Mencius – Reflections on Virtue, Governance, and the Nature of Goodness

Book 464: The Books of Mencius – Reflections on Virtue, Governance, and the Nature of Goodness 

By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures

A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review.

Book Number 464 of the Bucket List Book Adventure is Complete!

Let me tell you all about The Books of Mencius.

Mencius was a philosopher of ancient China who lived between 372 and 289 BC. A student of Confucius’s grandson, he became known as “second in wisdom” only to the great master himself. His lifetime coincided with the Warring States Period, a time of decline for the Zhou Dynasty, when China was fractured into seven rival kingdoms. Like Confucius before him, Mencius spent his life traveling from court to court, counseling rulers on the importance of moral governance and the welfare of their people.

His teachings were eventually compiled into seven books, known collectively as the Mengzi. This volume later became one of the Four Books of Confucianism, alongside The Analects, The Doctrine of the Mean, and The Great Learning, which shaped the moral and political foundation of Chinese philosophy for centuries.

At the heart of Mencius’s philosophy lies the belief that human nature is inherently good. He described each person as possessing the “sprouts” of virtue, compassion, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom, qualities that must be cultivated through reflection and action. Evil, he argued, arises not from human corruption but from neglect and moral laziness. In many ways, his teaching mirrors the parable of the talents from the Bible, and Mencius felt that potential virtue must be nurtured, or it withers away.

Mencius also emphasized servant leadership, insisting that rulers exist for the benefit of their people, not for personal power. He was among the first philosophers to suggest that unjust rulers lose the “Mandate of Heaven” and may rightfully be overthrown. It's an early and radical argument for moral accountability in governance.

His writings remain profoundly influential within Chinese political theory, offering a vision of leadership rooted in virtue rather than control. I can’t help but feel that these texts deserve a place in modern political science studies as well. Mencius’s reflections on justice, benevolence, and the moral obligations of power would fit comfortably beside Plato’s Republic, and the two men, though worlds apart, were near contemporaries in time.

Still, Mencius is not an easy read. Like the ancient Hebrew and the early biblical texts, each sentence carries layers of imagery, metaphor, and history that require patience to unpack. The rhythm of the writing is dense, elliptical, and poetic, forcing the reader to slow down and ponder. Yet that very challenge is what makes it worthwhile. Within those careful lines lies a timeless truth: that goodness, though fragile, is the most natural thing in the world, if only we take the time to cultivate it.

xoxo a.d. elliott

PS: Don't forget to check out the YouTube! https://youtu.be/-MNsLiIZOnQ

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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller based in Tontitown, Arkansas.

She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.

You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.

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