"He who outrages benevolence is called a ruffian: he who outrages righteousness is called a villain. I have heard of the cutting off of the villain Chow, but I have not heard of the putting of a ruler to death."
— Mencius

January 1, 1970

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Philosophers from ChinaHumanistsCultural criticsSocial critics
Original Language: English

Sources

Variant translations: — The ruffian and the villain we call a mere fellow. I have heard of killing the fellow Chou; I have not heard of killing a king. — In Free China Review, Vol. 5 (1955) — I have merely heard of killing a villain Zhou, but I have not heard of murdering the ruler. — Wing-tsit Chan, in A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy (1963), p. 78