Ce yin zhi xin in the Mencius : being concerned for the other

• Main Author: Han, Joey Ming Jie
• Other Authors: Winnie Sung
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: DRNTU::Humanities::Philosophy
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/76679
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This paper analyzes the concept of ce yin zhi xin 恻隐之心 in Mencius' thought. It has typically been subsumed under the contemporary concepts of compassion or sympathy, but given that its presence is sparse in the literature, much more needs to be clarified about its nature. Through close examination of key passages in the Mencius, I identify what ce yin zhi xin is, how it develops into ren, and what ren really is. I also interpret the concept of extension and explain how it plays an integral role in the development of ce yin zhi xin. This proposed interpretation also illustrates the importance of familial affection and argues for the viability of Mencian extension on the basis of partiality.