1, Mencius is the real founder of Confucianism. In fact, Confucius is a teacher of the preparatory class of government-run private schools, and he is mainly good at offering sacrifices. Some of his remarks were recorded by his disciples. It is neither systematic nor applicable. The restoration of ritual is against the law of historical development. However, Mencius systematically sorted out Confucius' remarks and combined them with reality, forming a figure with guiding theory for all parties at that time.
2. Mencius raised Ren's thought to a new height and put forward the people-oriented thought of valuing the people and neglecting the army, which is extremely great and not only forms the essential difference between Chinese civilization and Japanese culture. Japanese culture did not dare to promote the idea of benevolence because of autocratic oppression, but only promoted the idea of loyalty and filial piety, which eventually led to the distortion and transgression of its national morality. But also makes China culture stand among the advanced cultures in the world, no less than any thought.
3. Mencius' thought is more comprehensive, profound, easy to understand and practical. Basically, it has formed a complete theoretical framework for later Confucianism, involving legal, political, cultural, economic, ethical and other levels, making Confucianism a theory that can truly cover all aspects of social life. Especially in the economy.
Finally, the reason why the Song Dynasty belittled Mencius was actually a period of comprehensive decline of Confucianism. Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties basically subverted Confucianism, absorbed the metaphysics of Buddhism and Taoism, and turned into pure conceptual thinking, which seemed abstruse but meaningless. It is a comprehensive transformation and retrogression of Confucianism.