Confucius is the founder and pioneer of Confucianism, and Mencius is the successor and developer of Confucius' Confucianism. Mencius is a Confucian classic and a book about Mencius' thought, which was written in the middle and late Warring States period. It is an important part of the Four Books and occupies a pivotal position in Confucian classics. Mencius set an example, accumulated countless educational experiences, systematically discussed the contents, purposes and methods of education, and formed an educational concept with Mencius characteristics, which is an important part of China's excellent educational theory and has important enlightenment significance to modern educational thoughts. In the long-term educational practice, Mencius summed up a series of ideological education methods, such as edification, cautious independence, leading by example, and "respecting ambition and nourishing qi", which are worthy of our in-depth discussion, understanding and application.

(A) cautious and independent, often "self-defeating."

Whether it is "nine times out of ten" in work or life, in the adversity of life, Mencius gave us inspiration: when things are not satisfactory, we should not only blame the limitations of objective conditions, but should change our way of thinking, find the reasons from our own subjective aspects and seek a "conscience-based heart" through introspection. This is the core of Mencius' "anti-self" ideological education method. It is also a way to look directly at your heart. Mencius once said, "He who doesn't blame himself wins, but seeks himself." That is, people who don't envy or blame themselves, in turn, can find reasons from themselves. Mencius once said, "If you love someone, you will be kind-hearted." : there is no cure for treating diseases and saving people, which is contrary to wisdom; Courtesy people don't answer, respect people. Those who have done wrong are all found by themselves, and the world belongs to themselves. "Generally speaking, if people fail to achieve the expected goals in their actions, they should look for reasons from themselves and behave themselves well, so that people all over the world will support and join them. In Laozi's view, politicians need to reflect on themselves in order to win the support of the people, let alone ordinary people. Ordinary people should always be cautious and independent, not seeking "ruling the country and leveling the world", but seeking "self-cultivation and family harmony"

(B) edify and create a "positive energy" environment

From the research of modern psychology and sociology, it is found that the environment, especially the family environment, plays a key role in the formation of people's character. This view was discussed by Mencius thousands of years ago. "China can't cultivate talents, you can't cultivate talents, so you are very happy to have a virtuous father and brother. If you can't abandon them in China, you can't abandon talents, so you can't tell the difference between good and bad. " In the vernacular, people with talents and good ideological cultivation should always educate and edify those with low talents and poor moral cultivation, so the world is happy to have fathers and brothers with high moral cultivation. On the other hand, if we don't do this, talented people will disdain to educate people with mediocre talents, and people with good moral cultivation will not educate people with low moral cultivation, so the difference between good people and bad people can only be measured by inches. It is obvious from these two sentences that Mencius believes that the environment, especially the family environment, has an important influence on the change of one's temperament and the formation of ideological accomplishment. In his view, the environmental edification is mostly top-down family edification, which is the influence of "father and son". "Father and son brothers" must pay attention to the cultivation of good moral character, and then educate and edify "sons and brothers" in daily life, so as to urge "sons and brothers" to bathe in positive energy all the time and receive good moral edification in the growing environment.

(c) Example method, with "list" as "sample"

The example method is to establish a typical method. It is a way to influence the moral cultivation of the world and its behavior by taking other people's noble ideology and moral character or exemplary behavior as a typical aspect. Mencius actively advocated the application of this method in self-cultivation and education. He emphasized that politicians need to lead by example, take themselves as the code, take their noble moral cultivation as an example for the world, and influence the world's cultivation with their own cultivation. "Ren Jun, ruthless; Junyi, all righteousness; Jun Zheng, Mo Zheng. One is the monarch, and the country has been decided. " The ruler "benevolence" is the world "benevolence"; The "righteousness" of the ruler is the "righteousness" of the world; The ruler is "positive" and the world is "positive". Although this view is too absolute now, its moral implication is far-reaching. It emphasizes the ruler's "integrity" and his exemplary behavior of practicing "benevolence" and "righteousness". Only in this way can we achieve "the world belongs to it" and achieve national stability and order. Mencius, while demanding to become a politician, further pointed out: "I can't do anything with my body, and I can't use my wife;" People can't walk, and they can't walk with their wives. "That is to say, if the husband himself does not practice" Avenue "in the family, then" Avenue "is even more difficult for his wife and children; People who don't treat others in the right way can't even get along with their wives and children. Therefore, whether politicians or ordinary people are strict with themselves, they can "discipline people"; Only by taking oneself as the principle and taking the lead as the code can others receive education imperceptibly and achieve the effect that silence speaks louder than sound.

(4) The method of "respecting ambition and nourishing qi" is internal to the heart and external to the form.

Mencius believes that the most important thing for a person is to make up his mind and strive to stand higher. King Qi asked Mencius, "What is it?" Mencius said, "Shangzhi." Prince Pad asked again, "What is Shangzhi?" Mencius said, "It's just benevolence and righteousness. There is benevolence and righteousness, and adults are prepared. " From this conversation, it seems that "pursuing ambition" means that as long as you do righteousness, you can make your ambition lofty. At the same time, Mencius put forward that "pursuing ambition" and "nourishing qi" are closely combined and interrelated. This kind of "qi" is a kind of "noble spirit". "Is gas, gas as strong as it is, direct practice is harmless, so it is stuffed between heaven and earth. It is also qi, with righteousness, nothing is, and it is also awkward. " Mencius believed that only when a politician is good at moral cultivation, while pursuing ambition and nourishing qi, can he reach a firm and loyal ideological realm, and then internalize it into conscious moral practice and become a "gentleman" with indomitable spirit. Only in this way can we win the support of the people and unify the world.

Although Mencius has been separated for thousands of years, his educational thought always shines with eternal light; Although Mencius has been written for thousands of years, its educational essence has influenced so far.