What are the differences between Confucius and Mencius' Confucianism?

Confucius and Mencius are representatives of Confucian school, and their thoughts have been passed down to this day, becoming one of the treasures of China culture. Although they are all heavyweights of Confucianism, they live in different times. Confucius lived in the late Spring and Autumn Period, while Mencius lived in the Warring States Period. Perhaps due to different times and different personalities, their thoughts are slightly different in nature.

Confucius, a saint, was born in a poor family since childhood, but he was a declining aristocrat. He is full of knowledge, treats people with courtesy, and educates his disciples as seventy-two sages. Although he lived in an era when the ceremony collapsed and the music was broken, the turmoil of the times was far less than that of the Warring States, and Mencius witnessed the wars and disputes in the Warring States, and the people were displaced and the bodies were everywhere. His thoughts are more heroic and cynical than those of Confucius.

Although Confucius and Mencius advocated benevolent governance, Confucius' benevolent governance thought was to restore the etiquette of the Zhou Dynasty and re-establish the ruling thought of the Zhou Dynasty, while Mencius put forward specific requirements to make benevolence more vivid and his thoughts more radical. Confucius' benevolent policy is based on benevolence, while Mencius' benevolent policy is based on benevolence. Mencius paid attention to the material needs of the people, while Confucius only put forward more requirements for the people in ideology and morality.

Confucius and Mencius were called saints and sub-saints by later generations. Their thoughts are an important part of Confucianism, which has a far-reaching influence on the character and culture of the Chinese nation. Their thoughts are recorded in The Analects of Confucius and Mencius. Both of them are great thinkers and educators, and they are collectively called the Tao of Confucius and Mencius. It is worthy of continuous learning and emulation by future generations. Nowadays, Confucianism has also gone abroad and spread its charm to the world. As children of the Chinese nation, we have the responsibility and obligation to inherit and carry forward him.