—This view of human nature found an advocate afterwards in the famous Han Wǎn-kung (韩文公) of the T＇ang dynasty.
4, 5. 乃若,= "as to," "looking at." Choo He calls them an initial particle. The 其, of course, refers to性 or "nature," which is the subject of the text clause—可以为善. This being the amount of Mencius＇s doctrine, that by the study of our nature we may see that it is formed for goodness, there seems nothing to object to in it. By 情 is denoted 性之动, "the movements of the nature," i.e., the inward feelings and tendencies, "stirred up."—ChaouK＇e takes 若 here in the sense of 顺, "to obey," "to accord with," on which the translation would be—"If it act in accordance with its feelings, or emotional tendencies." The meaning, however, is the same on the whole. 可以为善 is not so definite as we could wish. Choo He expands it;—人之情，本但可以为善，而不可以为恶, "the feelings of man may properly be used only to do good, and maynot be used to do evil." This seems to be the meaning. powers." 若夫 (low, 1st tone),—"as to," "in the case