Abstract

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Title:: Mencius’ Philosophical Thinking on Neng and Buneng and His Political Ideas

Keywords:: Mencius; benevolent ruling; liangzhi and liangneng; political ideas

Abstract:: Mencius advocated liangzhi 良知(the goodness in conscience)and liangneng 良能(the inborn ability to be good)among pre-Qin philosophers. He believed in the subjective wills of human beings. Neng 能(ability)and buneng 不能(inability)are two important philosophical concepts in Mencius’ thought. The notion of neng reflects his conviction of human subjectivity, while that of buneng gives his insights into the prerequisites for existence and other objective laws, as well as the limitations of human beings. Actually, the underlying logic of buneng is related to what limits our ability. Mencius gave his explanations for the conflicts between neng and buneng, and the political claims behind the two concepts are what he truly cared about. He urged the rulers to govern their countries with benevolent policies and to safeguard people’s basic livelihood. Mencius’ thought shows his strong criticism of the social reality and profound benevolence towards the common people.