Mencius initiated the "theory of good nature" in the history of education in China. He attributed humanity to nature, morality to humanity, and humanity to talent, which constituted his transcendental theory of human nature. Mencius thought that human nature is not food color, and told Confucius: "Food color is also". It should refer to moral attributes such as "benevolence, righteousness, courtesy and wisdom". He said: "compassion is also a benevolent person; Shame and nausea, righteousness also; Respect and courtesy; The heart of right and wrong is also wise. Benevolence, courtesy and wisdom are not foreign, and I am inherent. " (6) Mencius believes that these people's "conscience" and "goodness" are inherent in human beings, which embodies the idealistic point of view.
Mencius' "theory of good nature" became the basis of his educational thought. First, the theory of "human nature is good" shows that human nature is an essential attribute unique to human beings and different from animals. People need social ethics and politics, which is determined by their inherent nature. The possibility of learning lies not in others, but in being a man first. Mencius believed that the discussion of human nature should reflect the class nature of the object of discussion, so human nature is a class category: people are absolutely different from other classes, but the same class is similar. Based on this, Mencius affirmed that human nature is good, that "everyone can think of Yao and Shun", (7) and put it into his own educational and political practice. Secondly, the theory of "human nature is good" also contains the premise of the development of human species. In other words, the root of "I am inherent" (8) is also the result of human learning. Human nature is good, so-called good, which is accumulated through learning in the long social life. Therefore, the goodness of human nature is the result of human learning and slow evolution, which logically requires this result to be the starting point and internal basis for further evolution. This is why Mencius interpreted the goodness of nature as "the end" and regarded the educational process as a process of "expanding" nature. Thirdly, the theory of "good nature" not only reveals the "class" of human beings, but also reveals the "reason" of human beings. Mencius said that the discussion of human nature is only about human rationality, and human rationality is to follow the trend for "shun"; The "reason" of human nature is "the goodness of human nature, even if it is water." (9) Therefore, since benevolence and righteousness belong to people, "for benevolence and righteousness" must be based on people's rationality, "doing what they do" and "taking profit as the foundation".
Therefore, Mencius' "theory of good nature" points out that education and learning are both necessary and possible for people; Education and learning must follow people's internal basis and carry forward people's consciousness.