Mencius (about 372 BC-289 BC), whose real name is Ke, Zi or (see the catalogue of Shuo Wen Jie Zi, Shuo Wen Jie Zi), was born in Zou Guo (now southeast of Zoucheng, Shandong Province). Philosophers, thinkers and educators in the Warring States period were the representatives of Confucianism after Confucius and before Xunzi, and they were also called "Confucius and Mencius" with Confucius.
Mencius advocated "benevolent government" and first put forward the idea that "the people are more important than the monarch", which was listed by Han Yu as a figure who inherited Confucius' "orthodoxy" in pre-Qin Confucianism and was named "Ya Sheng" in Yuan Dynasty.
Mencius' speech works are included in the book Mencius. Among them, I want, I get more help from the Tao, I get less help from the Tao, I am in the country, I was born in sorrow and died in happiness. Be incorporated into Chinese textbooks for primary and secondary schools. Mencius has great respect for Confucius. He said in "The Ugly Sun": "Born from the people, it is not filled with Confucius." "You can learn from Confucius if you like."
Mencius traveled to Qi, Song, Teng, Wei and Lu for more than twenty years. The specific time when he traveled to other countries is not very accurate, and he can only explain the approximate time and situation according to the records in Mencius. Mencius inherited Confucius' theory of benevolent governance and was a keen thinker during the war in Lian Heng.
Mencius realized the characteristics and trends of the times and constructed his own theory. Like Confucius, he tried to transform Confucian political theory and idea of governing the country into concrete idea of governing the country and put it into practice around the world.
At that time, various thinkers lobbied the rulers of various countries in order to realize their political opinions. In this social background, Mencius began to travel around the world, lobbying among monarchs and propagating his political views.