Mencius held that everyone has a sense of compassion, and that it is the beginning of benevolence.
Tips
usage
Usual frames: 动了恻隐之心 and 起了恻隐之心, 'to be moved to pity'.
history
From the 《孟子》: 恻隐之心，仁之端也, 'compassion is the sprout of benevolence'. It is the first of the 四端, the four sprouts of virtue Mencius saw in everyone, shown by the urge to save a child about to fall into a well.
