Revisiting the internal-external issue of Ren and YI: in and beyond mengzi 6A:4

Abstract

The internal-external issue of ren 仁 (benevolence/humanity) and yi 義(rightness/rightcousness/propriety) concerning whether ren 仁 and yi are internal or external is traceable to the Warring States period. One of the most famous recorded debates happened between Gaozi and Mengzi in Mengzi 6A:4. In the existing literature it is generally believed that Gaozi holds that ren is "nei" 内 (internal) and yi is "wai" 外 (external), whereas Mengzi contends that both ren and yi are "nei". However, this assertion has two problems that I aim to address in the present essay.