Within Mencius’s vision of human nature, yi (righteousness) is not an external code imposed from outside, but one of the innate moral “sprouts” that define what it means to be human. It is closely associated with the spontaneous feeling of shame and aversion toward what is base or wrong, a natural moral sensitivity that arises without calculation. Alongside ren (benevolence), li (propriety), and zhi (wisdom), yi forms part of an inborn structure of the heart-mind that orients human beings toward the good. This means that righteousness is not a rare attainment reserved for the few, but a potential present in everyone, awaiting cultivation and extension.

Yi functions as an inner compass that directs a person to choose what is morally appropriate rather than what is merely advantageous. In Mencius’s thought, a truly upright person is marked by the willingness to uphold righteousness even when it conflicts with personal profit or comfort. This virtue thus becomes a standard for both character and action, guiding ethical decisions in changing and often difficult circumstances. The sense of shame that accompanies wrongdoing is not a burden to be cast off, but a vital signal that the heart-mind is still responsive to what is right.

As this sprout of righteousness is nurtured through reflection, practice, and moral education, it matures into a stable disposition to act with integrity. Yi then harmonizes with the other virtues, especially ren, so that compassion and justice reinforce one another rather than pull in different directions. In this way, righteousness contributes to the formation of the junzi, the morally exemplary person whose actions are fitting, just, and honorable. Such a person does not merely follow rules, but embodies an inner nobility grounded in the steadfast refusal to do what is known to be wrong.

Mencius extends this understanding of yi into the realm of governance, holding that rightful rule depends on the ruler’s own cultivated righteousness. When those in authority act from this innate moral sense rather than from fear, force, or the pursuit of gain, political life becomes an expression of the same moral order that resides in the human heart-mind. Yi thus links personal cultivation with social harmony, suggesting that the path to a well-ordered world begins with honoring and developing the quiet but persistent inclination toward righteousness already present within each person.