Research On Mencius’ Ideal Personality And Its Contemporary Value

Mencius’ ideal personality ideology,as one of the important components of excellent traditional Chinese culture,not only extends and enriches the Confucian personality theory that Confucius laid the foundation on,but also has the inherent strength of eternal youth.Deeply exploring and inheriting Mencius’ ideal personality ideology is not only an important aspect of promoting excellent traditional Chinese culture,but also a valuable resource for cultivating modern ideal personality.Systematically organizing and exploring,comprehensively elucidating its theoretical system,further exploring the contemporary value of Mencius’ ideal personality,which provides beneficial insights for cultivating modern ideal personality.Mencius was in a period of intense social transformation and turbulence.In the political field,the rule of kings is not effective,and feudal lords compete for hegemony;In the field of ideology,a hundred schools of thought argue and falsely accuse the people.Therefore,Mencius hoped for the emergence of governance.Mencius believed that the emergence of "kings" and "wise men" could turn chaotic times into governance,so his ideal personality emerged by integrating interests,demands,and expectations into a role model.Confucius’ views on gentlemen and sages are the direct and main sources of Mencius’ ideal personality.Mencius has developed his own theory of ideal personality based on his inheritance.During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods,various scholars engaged in intense debates around the issue of human nature.Mencius discusses nature based on the heart and regards conscience as the foundation of good nature.He advocates that human beings are born with the four hearts of compassion,shame,respect,and right and wrong,which are the ends of benevolence,righteousness,propriety,and wisdom.Only by expanding and filling them,and following the trend of good development,can we achieve good nature.From a theoretical perspective,Mencius’ theory of the goodness of nature opened the way for the study of the mind,constructing an unprecedentedly rich and profound theoretical edifice of the study of the mind and nature;From a practical perspective,Mencius’ theory of good nature has had a certain impact on the formation of the Chinese nation’s psychology and the development of moral education.The realm of Mencius’ ideal personality is mainly divided into three levels:the gentleman’s personality of benevolence and righteousness,the great man’s personality of cultivating noble spirit,and the sage’s personality of the highest ethical standards.One is the personality of a gentleman.Mencius creatively proposed the "distinction between humans and birds" to establish human "nature",viewing it as the logical starting point of a gentleman’s personality,thus forming his concept of benevolence and righteousness,enriching the image of a gentleman’s personality.At the same time,a gentleman should have both a state of worry and happiness,both lifelong worry and moral pleasure.The second is the personality of a big man,which can be said to be a representative of Mencius’ ideal personality,with great personal charm and more display of a tenacious,resolute,and fearless personality.The third is the personality of saints,and the proposition that "everyone can be Yao and Shun" is the beginning of the moral equality of the personality of saints;The saying ’sage is the ultimate in human relations’ indicates that the personality of a sage is not unattainable,but is reflected in moral practice in real life,with a focus on ethics,morality,and social politics.The cultivation path of Mencius’ ideal personality is mainly summarized as expanding goodness and cultivating nurture.Expanding the goodness is the process of realizing innate potential and developing a complete goodness,which involves Mencius’ principles of cultivating one’s mind,prioritizing one’s greatness,and reflecting one’s sincerity.Acquired cultivation refers to the practice of the acquired subject,which is an effort made taking into account factors such as environmental constraints and intellectual abilities.It involves rational consciousness,willpower cultivation,and the cultivation of willpower.Only by expanding the virtuous and nurturing both ends can we better achieve the ideal of adulthood.Mencius’ ideal personality ideology has important value in the practice of cultivating new talents of the times.Taking strengthening the cultivation of students’ ideal personality as the starting point and focus,drawing on the nutrients of Mencius’ ideal personality,establishing clear personality cultivation goals,balancing the achievements of self-cultivation and social education,highlighting the moral subject of young students,creating a good adult environment for them,and helping them become a new generation worthy of the task of national rejuvenation.