Did Shang Yang really argue with Mencius?

No, the dispute between Shang Yang and Mencius is just a fiction in TV series.

In history, Mencius and Shang Yang never met, let alone argued face to face. Although Mencius' thoughts are completely opposite to those of the legalists, there is no direct criticism of the legalists and Shang Yang in the Seven Chapters of Mencius.

However, in the TV series "Daqin Empire", Xia Ji held an academic debate to welcome Mencius to Qi. Among them, Shang Yang's refutation of Mencius is only the artistic creation of screenwriters, which is not in history.

Extended data:

Source:

The dispute between Shang Yang and Mencius comes from the TV series Fission of the Great Qin Empire, which is a long historical drama adapted from Mr. Sun Haohui's novel of the same name.

The play tells the story of the Qin State in the Warring States Period, which changed from weak to strong through political reform, then went east to compete with the six countries for hegemony and then unified the whole country.

2700 years ago, the Chinese nation entered a world where all flesh and blood were struggling for their own hearts. The Spring and Autumn Period of ancient modesty and gentlemanliness ended, people were attacked and plundered, and the Warring States Period, where corpses were everywhere, made a grand appearance.

At that time, Qin, a small country on the northwest border, was ravaged by six countries, and now it is on the verge of extinction. Qin Xiangong died in battle, and the young Zhong Gongzi Ququliang acceded to the throne at a critical moment. Deeply humiliated, he survived under the attack of six countries and vowed to rise in the political reform.

Qin Xiaogong Qu Liangguang accepted talents from all over the world, and people never died in Qin. He came to Qin from Shang Yang, who was defeated by Wei, and was highly valued by Qin Xiaogong because of his talent and clear understanding of the world. Shang Yang initiated a far-reaching and controversial reform in Qin State, from which a generation of Qiang Qin rose.

Baidu encyclopedia-Mencius

Baidu Encyclopedia-Shang Yang