Wang Fuzhi's Complete Commentary on the Four Books: Mencius

The section on Mencius in Wang Fuzhi's Complete Commentary on the Four Books is an important part of his philosophical system. Wang Fuzhi lived through the turbulent transition from the Ming to the Qing dynasty, an era of social upheaval and clashing ideas. With a thinker's keen insight, he used his commentary on Mencius to express his own views, profoundly influencing later understanding of Mencius's thought and the development of philosophy.

In his interpretation of Mencius, Wang Fuzhi adhered to the view that "the mind, human nature, Heaven, and principle must all be discussed in terms of qi." He sharply criticized the idealist doctrine of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism that "principle can generate qi." He held that qi is the foundation of all things in the universe, and that principle exists only through qi. This idea runs consistently through his interpretations of Mencius's many discussions of the mind, human nature, and the Way of Heaven. For example, when discussing human nature, he accepted Mencius's theory that human nature is good, while also incorporating his own ideas. He proposed that human nature is "born anew and shaped day by day," and that learning and practice later in life have a major influence on its formation. This went beyond the traditional understanding of the theory of innate goodness.

In his political thought, Wang Fuzhi explored Mencius's idea of benevolent government in depth. Mencius argued that rulers should govern with compassion and care for the people's hardships. Wang Fuzhi developed this idea further, arguing that it concerned not only people's livelihoods, but also the need to follow the principles of Heaven and human nature. In light of the realities of his time, he criticized the harsh policies of feudal rulers and stressed the importance of benevolent government in maintaining social stability and advancing the nation. Using the past to shed light on the present, he hoped that future rulers would value the people's livelihoods and implement benevolent government.

Wang Fuzhi's interpretation of Mencius also reveals remarkable reasoning skills and a distinctive perspective. He did not confine himself to earlier commentaries, but dared to question and criticize them. For example, regarding Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism