...the spirits of the land and grain (sJte-ffii JÜ iR) are secondary ; and the sovereign is the least. Therefore to gain the peasantry is the way to become...Emperor ; to gain the Emperor is the way to become a feudal lord ; and to gain a feudal lord is the way to become a great officer " (VII¿, 14). In this...

...the well-being of the people. " The people," he said, " are the most important element in the state ; the spirits of the land and grain are the next ; the sovereign is the least important .... When a prince endangers the altars of the spirits of the land and grain, he is...

...SHOULD PROMOTE DEMOCRATIC RULE ON TAIWAN Why is it in our interest to promote democracy? Mencius said, "The people are the most important element in a nation; the spirits of the land and grain are next; the sovereign is the lightest." Edward Gibbon wrote, "The principles of a free constitution are...

...altars as important, was a variation on a line from a passage found in Mencius that runs as follows: "The people are the most important element in a nation;...land and grain are the next; the sovereign is the lightest"71. The message left no doubt: the personal fate of Ying-tsung was of lesser importance, a...

...actually implemented and practiced people's power rather than sovereign's power. 3 1 Mencius said, "The people are the most important element in a nation;...land and grain are the next; the sovereign is the lightest."3" "Heaven sees according as my people see; heaven hears according as my people hear."31...

...In no uncertain words, Mencius put the interests of people before those of rulers. He maintains that "the people are the most important element in a nation;...grain are the next; the sovereign is the lightest" iMencius, 7b:14l. Moreover, he defended the people's rights to rebellion. For him, killing a despot...

...elements of a kingdom—the people, state, and the sovereign—the people are most consequential, saying, “The people are the most important element in a nation; the spirits of the land and grain [an expression often used to indicate the statej are the next; the sovereign is the slightest. “23...

...the ruler served the people: "Mencius said: 'The people are the most important element [in a polity]; the spirits of the land and grain are the next; the sovereign is the least important.'"37 In fact Mencius cited Confucius for his position on tyranny: "Confucius said:...

...does not imply that the people's welfare could be neglected by the state. Mencius (4:14) taught that "The people are the most important element in a nation;...grain are the next; the sovereign is the lightest." Hsiin Tzu (27:72) expressed the significance of the people's welfare in a similar way: "Heaven did...

...duties of rulers toward their subjects, for the people, and not the sovereign, are of highest value: "The people are the most important element [in a nation];...land and grain are the next; the sovereign is the lightest."94 Passages from the New Testament, and in particular a passage from Romans analyzed in section...