Mencius, born Meng Ke, was a Chinese Confucian philosopher who lived during the Warring States period. He is traditionally regarded as the Second Sage, a title reflecting his historical importance and esteem relative to Confucius himself. As part of Confucius's fourth generation of disciples, Mencius inherited the foundational ideology of Confucianism and devoted himself to developing and advancing it further. Much of Mencius's life was spent travelling among the various states of his era, where he offered counsel and philosophical guidance to different rulers. These interactions and conversations with rulers became the primary material for the Mencius, a collection of his teachings and dialogues. This work would eventually be canonised as one of the central classics of Confucian thought, securing his legacy as a major figure in Chinese philosophy.