Which ancient Chinese philosopher taught that humans are inherently good? The answer is Mencius. He argued that people are born with natural moral tendencies that can develop into full virtue.
Mencius illustrated this idea with the example of a child about to fall into a well: anyone who sees the danger instinctively feels alarm and compassion, without calculating a reward. He called such impulses the “four beginnings” or “sprouts,” including compassion, shame, respect, and moral discernment.
Mencius did not claim that everyone automatically behaves well. He compared innate virtue to a plant that needs cultivation. Education, good government, and a healthy social environment help moral instincts grow, while poverty, violence, and corrupt leadership can damage them.
The common mix-up is with Xunzi, another Confucian thinker who argued that human nature is originally selfish or bad and must be reshaped through discipline. Mencius’s view became one of the most influential interpretations of Confucian ethics.