“The common people follow after a benevolent ruler naturally as water flows downwards and animals walk toward the wilderness. The ruler who carries out benevolent governance will gain the state，” he adds.

Mencius criticizes that those rulers who want gain the state without carrying out benevolent governance are like patients who are looking for Artemisia argyi leaves that have been stockpiled for three years to cure their seven-year-long disease.

He concludes that the ruler who has no intention to carry out benevolent governance wont gain control of the state forever.