An In-depth Interpretation of Mencius' 'The Trees of Ox Mountain' Chapter: The Core of Innate Goodness and Cultivation of Mind and Nature

Appendix: Compilation and Brief Explanation of Related Pre-Qin and Han Texts

Chapter 26: Selected Explanations from Zhao Qi’s Annotations

Zhao Qi ($29-201 CE), a scholar of the late Eastern Han Dynasty, authored the Mencius Chapters and Sentences, which is the earliest existing commentary on the Mencius and is invaluable for understanding Mencius’s original text.

Key points from Zhao Qi’s annotation of the "Wood of Ox Mountain" chapter:

I. "Ox Mountain is a mountain in Qi. It is located south of Linzi." — Establishes the geographical location of Ox Mountain.

II. "Mei means lush beauty." — Establishes the meaning of "Mei" as abundance.

III. "Zhuozhuo means the appearance of having no trees or plants." — Establishes the meaning of "Zhuozhuo" as barrenness.

IV. "Fang means loss." — Establishes the meaning of "Fang" as loss.

V. "Pingdan means the time of clear dawn." — Establishes the meaning of "Pingdan" as the time around daybreak.

VI. "Gu means fetters." — Establishes the meaning of "Gu" as a penal instrument (extended to mean restraint).

VII. "Qing means truth/reality." — Establishes the meaning of "Qing" as true disposition (rather than emotion).

Zhao Qi’s annotations are characterized by their conciseness and clarity. He faithfully adheres to Mencius’s original text, explaining the most critical concepts with minimal wording, thus laying the foundation for subsequent deeper interpretations.

Chapter 27: Correlation between Dong Zhongshu’s Theory of Nature and the Ox Mountain Chapter

Dong Zhongshu (179–104 BCE), a great Confucian scholar of the Western Han, adopted a mediating position between Mencius’s inherent goodness and Xunzi’s inherent evil.

Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu Fanlu, Chapter on Deep Observation of Names):

"Nature (xing) is the simplicity of Heavenly endowment; Goodness (shan) is the transformation brought by Royal Teaching. Without the endowment, the Royal Teaching cannot transform; without the Royal Teaching, the simplicity cannot become good. ... Heaven gave birth to human nature with a good endowment, but man cannot yet be good, so Heaven established rulers to make him good—this is Heaven’s intent. People receive the nature that cannot yet be good from Heaven, and subsequently receive the education that completes the nature from the rulers. The ruler’s task, following Heaven’s intent, is to complete human nature."

Dong Zhongshu argues that human nature possesses a "good endowment" (shan zhi), but "cannot yet be good"—it has not yet fully realized goodness. It requires the ruler's teaching to actualize this good endowment. This can be understood through the "Wood of Ox Mountain" chapter:

• "Good endowment" is like the soil of Ox Mountain—it possesses the potential to grow trees.
• "Cannot yet be good" is like the soil being good but the trees not yet grown.
• "Royal Teaching’s transformation" is like reasonable forest management—using education to allow the endowment to be realized.

Dong Zhongshu’s position emphasizes the necessity of "teaching/transformation" more than Mencius—he believes a mere "good endowment" is insufficient; it requires royal teaching to become "good." This resonates with Mencius’s idea that "If they obtain nurture, nothing will fail to grow"—the "good endowment" requires "nurture" (education) to "grow" (be realized as good).

However, Mencius emphasizes that the sprout of goodness is already present (a small, existing moral emotion like compassion), whereas Dong Zhongshu emphasizes that the "good endowment" is a "potential for goodness that has not yet been realized." The difference lies in whether the goodness is seen as an existing, albeit small, moral feeling, or merely as an unrealized potential.

Chapter 28: Relevant Discourses in the Lüshi Chunqiu

The Lüshi Chunqiu (The Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Lü), compiled on the eve of the Qin unification, synthesizes various schools of thought. It discusses human nature and cultivation in several places, which can be cross-referenced with the "Wood of Ox Mountain" chapter.

The Lüshi Chunqiu (Benxing chapter) states:

"Human nature is good, just as water tends to flow downward. Everyone possesses a good heart and a good will. Evil arises afterward."

This unequivocally asserts the goodness of nature, using water's downward tendency as an analogy—completely consistent with Mencius in Gaozi II. "Evil arises afterward" is the best summary of the "Wood of Ox Mountain" chapter—evil (un-goodness) is not innate nature but something that arises subsequently.

The Lüshi Chunqiu (Xian Ji chapter) states:

"In all matters, the foundation must first be the rectification of the self; when the self is completed, the world will be completed."

"First rectify the self" (Xian zhi shen)—Cultivate oneself first. This aligns with the spirit of Mencius's "If held, it exists."

The Lüshi Chunqiu (Gui Sheng chapter) states:

"The Sage deeply ponders the world, and nothing is more precious than life."

"Nothing is more precious than life" (Mo gui yu sheng)—This resonates with Mencius's idea, "If they obtain nurture, nothing will fail to grow"—the ultimate purpose of "Yang" (nurture) is to preserve and develop life.

Chapter 29: Comprehensive Reflection: The Significance and Limitations of Pre-Qin Philosophy of Heart/Nature

Section 29.1 Significance

The greatest significance of pre-Qin theories of human nature (especially Mencius’s doctrine of inherent goodness) is that they established the dignity and moral agency of the individual.

Man has dignity because he possesses inherent goodness—he is not merely a biological organism but a moral agent. Man possesses moral agency because his goodness is innate, internal, and inalienable—no external force can fundamentally eradicate his goodness.

The "Wood of Ox Mountain" chapter expresses this conviction in a vivid manner: even under the most adverse circumstances, even when goodness has been most severely eroded, the "root" of human goodness still exists and has the possibility of recovery. This conviction is the starting point for all moral cultivation, all political reform, and all social progress.

Section 29.2 Limitations

The pre-Qin theories of human nature (including Mencius’s doctrine of inherent goodness) also have limitations:

First, the explanation for the "Origin of Evil" is not entirely thorough. As noted, Mencius outlines the process by which goodness is eroded but fails to fundamentally explain how this "process of erosion" began in the first place.

Second, insufficient attention is paid to the differences in the degree of goodness among individuals. Mencius asserts that "everyone has sprouts of goodness," but the sprouts seem stronger in some people (like Shun, whose goodness surges "like a breached river" upon hearing a good word) than others (who commit evil daily without realizing it). What accounts for this difference$30 Mencius does not fully explain.

Third, the specific methods of cultivation require more detail. "If held, it exists; if released, it perishes" is a profound principle, but how does one "hold"$31 Under what circumstances does one "hold"$32 What methods are used to "hold"$33 Mencius did discuss these concrete operational issues (e.g., "Cultivating the heart is best achieved by reducing desires," "accumulating righteousness," "preserving the heart and nurturing nature"), but they are not yet systematic or exhaustive.

However, these limitations should not negate the value of pre-Qin philosophy of nature. The fact that pre-Qin thinkers proposed such profound theories of human nature over two millennia ago is itself a great achievement in the history of human thought. The task of later scholars is to deepen and perfect this thought on the basis of the pre-Qin foundation, rather than to overthrow or deny it.

Chapter 30: Conclusion

This article has conducted a comprehensive, in-depth, and meticulous interpretation and inquiry into Mencius’s "Wood of Ox Mountain" chapter from the perspectives of the pre-Qin and ancient eras.

Through sentence-by-sentence exegesis, we have clarified the textual meaning and logical structure of this chapter. Through thematic inquiry into core ideas, we have examined this chapter against the grand backdrop of pre-Qin theories of human nature, cultivation, politics, and cosmology. Through deep philosophical inquiry, we have questioned the theoretical difficulties of the doctrine of inherent goodness and its possible responses. Through the compilation of related pre-Qin and Han documents, we have provided rich reference materials for understanding this chapter.

The core conclusions of this essay can be summarized as follows:

I. The "Wood of Ox Mountain" chapter uses the analogy of mountain wood to completely and profoundly articulate the core assertion of Mencius’s doctrine of inherent goodness: human nature is inherently good, and the loss of goodness is the result of external harm, while the recovery of goodness requires continuous nurturing.

II. The argumentative structure of this chapter is extremely precise: The beauty of the mountain wood (inherent goodness) → Felling by axes and adzes (harm of material desire) → Sprouting of new shoots (goodness is not extinguished) → Grazing by cattle and sheep (secondary harm) → Barrenness (complete loss of conscience) → Assuming no timber existed (cognitive error) → Growth if nurtured (essential nature of cultivation) → Holding preserves, releasing destroys (mystery of the heart). Each step is closely connected to the others, forming a logically rigorous chain of argument.

III. The philosophical foundation of this chapter lies in the interconnection between the "Heavenly Way" and "Human Nature"—the Heavenly Way takes "Life-giving" as its virtue, and human nature receives Heaven's "Life-giving Virtue," hence human nature is inherently good. The grace of the Heavenly Way (rest between day and night, moisture of dew and rain) is constant, so even if human goodness is eroded, the possibility of its recovery remains.

IV. The practical direction of this chapter lies in "Holding the Heart" and "Nurturing Nature"—"If held, it exists; if released, it perishes" is the fundamental principle of cultivation; "If they obtain nurture, nothing will fail to grow" is the greatest encouragement for cultivation. Cultivation is both the individual's responsibility and the responsibility of society (Benevolent Governance).

V. The existential questions embedded in this chapter (Why do inherently good people commit evil$34 How is the sprout of goodness lost$35 How can it be recovered$36 What is the relationship between individual cultivation and social environment$37) were not only the core questions of pre-Qin thought but remain eternal questions facing humanity in every era and every civilization.

Mencius used a small mountain near the capital of Qi as an analogy to convey the profoundest truths about human nature. The wood of Ox Mountain is long gone, but Mencius's words will forever echo in the heart of every person who contemplates the nature of humanity.

"Thus, if they obtain nurture, nothing will fail to grow; if they lose nurture, nothing will fail to diminish."

This is the essence of it.

Cited Texts (Pre-Qin and Han portions):

• Book of Documents (Yao Dian, Taishi, Tang Shi, Pan Geng, Zhao Gao, Wuyi, Dayu Mo, Zicai, Xibo Kan Li)
• Book of Songs (Tao Yao, Qi Ao, Sigan, Wuyang, Futian, Xiaobian, Ling Tai, Han Lu, Jiale, Zheng Min, Song Gao, Ji Ming)
• I Ching (Qian, Kun, Fu, Tai, Pi, Meng, Daxi Hexagrams, and Xici Zhuan, Wenyan, Guazhuan, Xiangzhuan)
• Analects (Xue Er, Weizheng, Liren, Gongye Chang, Yong Ye, Shu Er, Bayi, Zihan, Xiang Dang, Yan Yuan, Yang Huo, Weizi, Zizhang)
• Mencius (Liang Hui Wang I, Gongsun Chou I, Teng Wen Gong II, Li Lou I, Li Lou II, Gaozi I, Jinxin I, Jinxin II)
• Zuo Zhuan (1st year of Duke Yin, 14th year of Duke Xiang, 25th year of Duke Xiang, 1st year of Duke Zhao, 25th year of Duke Zhao)
• Guoyu
• Book of Rites (Quli I, Zhongyong, Daxue, Neize, Yue Ji)
• Xunzi (Xing E, Wang Zhi)
• Laozi (Chapters 5, 18, 38, 42, 50, 76, 80)
• Zhuangzi (Xiaoyao You, Qiwulun, Mati, Pianmu, Ying Di Wang)
• Guanzi (Quanshu, Neiye, Xinshu Shang)
• Strategies of the Warring States (Qi I)
• Lüshi Chunqiu (Benxing, Xian Ji, Gui Sheng)
• Zhao Qi, Mencius Chapters and Sentences
• Dong Zhongshu, Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals (Shen Cha Ming Hao)
• Rites of Zhou (Diguans Zhaoshi)
• Xu Shen, Shuowen Jiezi

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Authored by: The Xuanji Editorial Department