Posted 2016/9/2
Whether human nature is good or bad has been one of the most controversial problems in Chinese philosophy. Mencius holds that human nature is good, but he doesn't mean that every man is born a sage. He admits, to be sure, that there are also other elements, which are neither good or bad in themselves, but which, if not duly controlled, can lead to evil. According to Mencius, however, these are elements which man shares in common with other living creatures. They represent the "animal" aspect of man's life, and therefore, strictly speaking, should not be considered as part of the "human" nature.
Mencius says:"The feeling of commiseration is the beginning of human-heartedness. The feeling of shame and dislike is the beginning of righteousness. The feeling of modesty and yielding is the beginning of propriety. The sense of right and wrong is the beginning of wisdom." All men in their original nature possess these "four beginnings", which, if fully developed, become the four "constant virtues", so greatly emphasized in Confucianism. These four beginnings differentiate man from the beasts. They should be develop, therefore, because it is only through their development that man is truly a "man".
