在某些方面，儒家確實提供了有關「人權」的重要思想和資源，這從早期儒家代表人物之一孟子就可以看出。孟子人權思想的核心是「天賦權利」。人從超越的「天」獲得了平等的人性以及實現道德和人格的平等能力、人類不同於物和禽獸的「高貴性」和「尊嚴」、人民是國家的目的和「天意」來自「民意」的「民權」及人民的「反抗權」等等，這些彼此相聯繫的方面，在共同構成了孟子「天賦人權」思想內核的同時，也顯示出人權言說的不同方式和個性風貌。

This paper is intended to explicate the philosophical meanings of Mencius's views of human rights, regarding his theories of human nature, moral practice, and people as the foundation of the state, as well as the kingly way and his humanism. Moreover, we try to analyze the classical discourse about human rights developed by Mencius. Although Mencius's idea about human rights was undeniably different from the universal views about human rights in the contemporary society, he was nevertheless a precious and classical model for those who care about human rights in the contemporary age due to his overall philosophical exploration of the meanings, concerns, thoughts and ideals of human rights.