# The most famous sayings of Mencius

From 'Treat the elderly of others as your own' to 'Riches cannot corrupt him', 'Favourable timing is not as good as favourable terrain, and terrain not as good as human harmony' and 'The people matter most': Mencius's most quoted lines, with their chapter.

- 9 votes · 14 items
- Aug 20, 2020 · Kalok Cheung
- https://even.best/en/l/4597/the-most-famous-sayings-of-mencius

## Top 14

1. **Treat the elderly of others as you treat your own; care for the young of others as you care for your own.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 'King Hui of Liang I'.
2. **The benevolent have no enemies.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 'King Hui of Liang I'.
3. **Favourable timing is not as good as favourable terrain, and favourable terrain is not as good as human harmony.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 'Gongsun Chou II'.
4. **One who follows the Way finds many to help him; one who loses it finds few.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 'Gongsun Chou II'.
5. **We survive through hardship and perish in ease and comfort.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 'Gaozi II'.
6. **I am good at nourishing my flood-like qi.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 'Gongsun Chou I'.
7. **Those who subdue others by force do not win their hearts; those who win them by virtue are followed gladly and sincerely.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 'Gongsun Chou I'.
8. **Those who love others are always loved; those who respect others are always respected.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 'Li Lou II'.
9. **Riches cannot corrupt him, poverty cannot sway him, force cannot bend him: that is a great man.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 'Duke Wen of Teng II'.
10. **If on reflection I find I am in the right, I will go forward even against thousands.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 'Gongsun Chou I', Zengzi quoting Confucius on true courage.
11. **Compassion is the sprout of benevolence; shame, of righteousness; deference, of propriety; the sense of right and wrong, of wisdom.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 'Gongsun Chou I': the four sprouts.
12. **The trouble with people is that they love to be teachers of others.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 'Li Lou I'.
13. **Without compass and square you cannot draw circles and squares.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 'Li Lou I'.
14. **The people matter most, the state comes next, and the ruler matters least.** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — 'Exhausting the Heart II'.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.