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In this episode, we profile Mencius (Meng Ke), the Warring States philosopher known as the "Second Sage" of Confucianism. We explore his optimistic counter-argument to the cynical Xunzi, proposing that human nature is inherently righteous and humane rather than evil.

Key topics covered in this episode include:

• The Child in the Well: We break down Mencius’s famous thought experiment illustrating the "Four Beginnings" of virtue—benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom—which he argues are as natural to humans as their four limbs.
• A Mother’s Influence: We retell the legendary stories of Mencius’s mother, Meng Mu, who famously moved their home three times to find a suitable environment for her son’s education and cut h ...