Jin Xin II · Passage 15 / 38 · 孟子 7B.15

Mencius 7B.15: why a sage teaches a hundred generations

Mencius says sages teach across ages because real character keeps awakening courage, purity, and breadth in people far beyond their own time.

孟子曰：「聖人，百世之師也，伯夷、柳下惠是也。故聞伯夷之風者，頑夫廉，懦夫有立志。聞柳下惠之風者，薄夫敦，鄙夫寬。奮乎百世之上，百世之下聞者莫不興起也。非聖人而能若是乎？而況於親炙之者乎？」

mèng zǐ yuē：「shèng rén， bǎi shì zhī shī yě， bó yí、 liǔ xià huì shì yě。 gù wén bó yí zhī fēng zhě， wán fū lián， nuò fū yǒu lì zhì。 wén liǔ xià huì zhī fēng zhě， báo fū dūn， bǐ fū kuān。 fèn hū bǎi shì zhī shàng， bǎi shì zhī xià wén zhě mò bù xīng qǐ yě。 fēi shèng rén ér néng ruò shì hū？ ér kuàng wū qīn zhì zhī zhě hū？」

Mencius said, 'A sage is the teacher of a hundred generations - this is true of Bo Yi and Hui of Liu Xia. Therefore when men now bear the character of Bo Yi, the corrupt become pure, and the weak acquire determination. When they hear the character of Hui of Liu Xia, the mean become generous, and the niggardly become liberal. Those two made themselves distinguished a hundred generations ago, and after a hundred generations, those who hear of them, are all aroused in this manner. Could such effects be produced by them, if they had not been sages? And how much more did they affect those who were in contiguity with them, and felt their inspiring influence!'

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Central question

Why does Mencius call the sage a teacher for a hundred generations?

Direct answer

Because genuine virtue does not influence only contemporaries. It reshapes the shame, courage, and breadth of later people who never met the exemplar in person.

First principle

An enduring teacher is not one who leaves slogans, but one whose life keeps reordering what later people find admirable.

Why it matters

This passage serves searches around sages, Bo Yi, Liu Xia Hui, and the enduring force of moral example in Mencius.

What this passage is doing

This is passage 15 of 38 in Jin Xin II. The cleanest entry point is "A sage is the teacher of a hundred…". In context, it works as part of Mencius's argument about knowing words, knowing destiny, and the completion of cultivation and can be read alongside Flood-like qi, Human nature.

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