Mencius (Mengzi) — Life, Writings, and Political Advocacy (c. 372–289 BCE)

1. Birth in the small state of Zou

   Jan 1, 372 BCELabels: Mencius, Zou state

   • Britannica
   • SEP

2. Studies in the Confucian lineage

   Jan 1, 355 BCELabels: Mencius, Zisi

   • SEP
   • Britannica

3. Begins traveling as an itinerant adviser

   Jan 1, 335 BCELabels: Mencius, Itinerant adviser

   • SEP
   • IEP

4. Dialogue with King Hui of Liang on “profit”

   Jan 1, 320 BCELabels: Mencius, King Hui

   • IEP
   • King Hui

5. Engages the Qi court under King Xuan

   Jan 1, 319 BCELabels: Mencius, Qi court

   • King Xuan
   • IEP

6. Advocates people-first governance as legitimacy

   Jan 1, 318 BCELabels: Mencius, People-first governance

   • Britannica
   • SEP

7. Linked to the Jixia scholarly milieu

   Jan 1, 318 BCELabels: Jixia Academy, Qi capital

   • Jixia
   • King Xuan

8. Formulates the “human nature is good” position

   Jan 1, 315 BCELabels: Mencius, Human nature

   • Britannica
   • Britannica Text

9. Retires to teach after political disappointments

   Jan 1, 305 BCELabels: Mencius, Teaching retirement

   • Britannica
   • SEP

10. Death and early shaping of the *Mencius* text

    Jan 1, 289 BCELabels: Mencius, Mencius text

    • Britannica
    • IEP

11. Han era teaching position signals growing authority

    Jan 1, 150 BCELabels: Han dynasty, Mencius text

    • Britannica Text

12. Zhu Xi elevates *Mencius* into the Four Books

    Jan 1, 1190Labels: Zhu Xi, Four Books

    • Britannica Text
    • OUP