Jin Xin II · 孟子 7B.25

Passage 25

浩hào生shēng不bú害hài問wèn曰yuē：「樂lè正zhèng子zǐ，何hé人rén也yě？」孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「善shàn人rén也yě，信xìn人rén也yě。」「何hé謂wèi善shàn？何hé謂wèi信xìn？」曰yuē：「可kě欲yù之zhī謂wèi善shàn。有yǒu諸zhū己jǐ之zhī謂wèi信xìn。充chōng實shí之zhī謂wèi美měi。充chōng實shí而ér有yǒu光guāng輝huī之zhī謂wèi大dà。大dà而ér化huà之zhī之zhī謂wèi聖shèng。聖shèng而ér不bù可kě知zhī之zhī之zhī謂wèi神shén。樂lè正zhèng子zǐ，二èr之zhī中zhōng、四sì之zhī下xià也yě。」

Hao Sheng Bu Hai asked, saying, 'What sort of man is Yue Zheng?' Mencius replied, 'He is a good man, a real man.' 'What do you mean by "A good man," "A real man?"' The reply was, 'A man who commands our liking is what is called a good man. He whose goodness is part of himself is what is called real man. He whose goodness has been filled up is what is called beautiful man. He whose completed goodness is brightly displayed is what is called a great man. When this great man exercises a transforming influence, he is what is called a sage. When the sage is beyond our knowledge, he is what is called a spirit-man. Yue Zheng is between the two first characters, and below the four last.'