On the Connotation and Signification of Mencius' Ideology of Destiny

The ideology of destiny is an important part of Mencius' theory. In his eye, destiny means the thing that can't be changed by the human will, and some power behind it; so it is transcendent and can't be controlled by man who only has to obey it. His ideology can be classified into three branches: moral metaphysics, predestination and the idea of people as the foundation of state. Through the ideology, Mencius constructed the moral religion that had long and greatly influenced the later generations, and introduced transcendent elements to Confucianism; Furthermore, it pointed out a reasonable way on which the society will develops harmoniously. His idea that the will of the common people is a kind of destiny also became the source of the thought of democracy in China.