ABSTRACT
Mencius, like his predecessor, Confucius, is better known by the latinized version of his name than as Mengzi [Menge K’e]. He developed Confucian doctrines and introduced ideas of his own into the body of Confucian thought. 1 His recorded sayings, known as the234Mencius, are one of the Four Books, the collection of classical writings that for many centuries formed the basis of Chinese education. The Four Books were the main texts studied for the Chinese civil service examinations which were first instituted in 1313 CE and held annually for six centuries. The literary style of the Mencius is regarded as exemplary.
