Mencius wrote:Everyone has a heart (心) that is sensitive to others. The reason why I say that human beings all have hearts that will not bear others is this: suppose that someone suddenly saw a child about to fall into a well. In such a situation, everyone would have a feeling of alarm (怵惕) and compassion (惻隠). However, this is not because one tries to receive some good from the child’s parents, nor because one wants to achieve fame among neighbors and friends, nor because one dislikes the sound of the child’s cries.