Gao Zi II · Passage 13 / 16 · 孟子 6B.13
Mencius 6B.13: loving the good is enough to govern
Mencius says the first political qualification is not force, cleverness, or wide information, but loving the good: if power welcomes the good.
魯欲使樂正子為政。孟子曰：「吾聞之，喜而不寐。」公孫丑曰：「樂正子強乎？」曰：「否。」「有知慮乎？」曰：「否。」「多聞識乎？」曰：「否。」「然則奚為喜而不寐。」曰：「其為人也好善。」「好善足乎？」曰：「好善優於天下，而況魯國乎？夫茍好善，則四海之內，皆將輕千里而來告之以善。夫茍不好善，則人將曰：『訑訑，予既已知之矣。』訑訑之聲音顏色，距人於千里之外。士止於千里之外，則讒諂面諛之人至矣。與讒諂面諛之人居，國欲治，可得乎？」
The prince of Lu wanting to commit the administration of his government to the disciple Yue Zheng, Mencius said, 'When I heard of it, I was so glad that I could not sleep.' Gong Sun Chou asked, 'Is Yue Zheng a man of vigour?' and was answered, 'No.' 'Is he wise in council?' 'No.' 'Is he possessed of much information?' 'No.' 'What then made you so glad that you could not sleep?' 'He is a man who loves what is good.' 'Is the love of what is good sufficient?' 'The love of what is good is more than a sufficient qualification for the government of the kingdom; how much more is it so for the State of Lu! If a minister love what is good, all within the four seas will count 1000 li but a small distance, and will come and lay their good thoughts before him. If he do not love what is good, men will say, "How self-conceited he looks? He is saying to himself, I know it." The language and looks of that self-conceit will keep men off at a distance of 1,000 li. When good men stop 1,000 li off, calumniators, flatterers, and sycophants will make their appearance. When a minister lives among calumniators, flatterers, and sycophants, though he may wish the State to be well governed, is it possible for it to be so?'
Priority note
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Central question
Why does Mencius say that loving the good is enough to govern?
Direct answer
Because governments often fail first at the input stage. If those in power truly love what is good, able people will still come with honest advice; if they do not, the first thing driven away is good counsel itself.
First principle
Whether a system can still be taught and corrected depends largely on whether power welcomes something better than itself.
Why it matters
This passage clearly serves searches around loving the good, receiving counsel, and leadership, while sharpening the site's treatment of political judgment.
Further reading
What this passage is doing
This is passage 13 of 16 in Gao Zi II. The cleanest entry point is "When I heard of it, I was so…". In context, it works as part of Mencius's argument about nourishing the heart, judgment, and the formation of character and can be read alongside Humane government / kingly way.
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Gao Zi II connects nourishing the heart, judgment, and character formation into one path of cultivation.
Related principles
Citation note
Do not reduce 'loving the good' to vague niceness. Mencius proves it institutionally: are worthy people still willing to travel far in order to tell power what is good?