Formulation of the System and Levels of Ethics in Mencius’ Political Philosophy

Ethics is the center of the philosophical teachings of Mencius as the interpreter of Confucius and a creative philosopher and at the same time the creative philosopher. His ethics can be formulated under epistemological, ontological, and anthropological foundations. In addition, the present article, formats the moral teachings of Mencius school of philosophy at the individual, family and political levels. In ontology, he has a more transparent metaphysical approach than Confucius, and in anthropology, he is a creative philosopher and good processor of human nature. According to Mencius, nature is the comprehensive source of morality, and morality is rooted in human nature and human nature is rooted in heaven. In Mencius’ ethical perspective, some Confucian concepts are so important that he completes them with some innovations. “Li” is the wheel of modesty, "Yi" means piety and decency, Jen or Ren means philanthropy, “Chung” and “Chu”, which means the way, “Tao” which is a road towards the common existence and the evolution of mankind, and “Ming” which means providence or destiny, constitute the quintuplet communication, the golden rule of self-perfection and the perfection of others, obligation and transition from personal gain and modification of names. According to Mencius, among the virtues, the four virtues of piety, wisdom, knowledge and benevolence are major ones. In personal ethics, Mencius insists on self-purity, shame and modesty, love for kindness, self-criticism, perseverance, and etc. From his point of view, the relationship between husband and wife is the beginning of all human relationships. In his political ethics, apart from wisdom and philosophy, he counts a numbers laws and ethical duties such as meritocracy, respect for the people, and tyranny avoidance for the ruler who runs the country.