Humans are born with innate conscience and the ability to know and act upon it. The termliangzhi(良知) was first used by Mencius, who believed that what man knew by instinct wasliangzhi(knowledge of goodness). The term includesren(仁), i.e. love for one’s parents andyi(义), i.e. respect for one’s elder brothers. The concept is an important component of Mencius’ belief in the innate goodness of human nature. The Ming-dynasty philosopher Wang Shouren raised the idea of ‘attainingliangzhi.’ He extended the Mencius’liangzhito mean the principles of heaven, maintaining that all things under heaven and their laws were covered byliangzhi. Withliangzhibeing extended to its fullest (through self-cultivation and moral practice), it is possible to know and put in practice all moral truths.

Citations

What is known without thinking is the innate knowledge of goodness. (Mencius)

Principles of heaven and conscience are the same in essence. (Records of Great Learning)