Mozi

Lore & Background

Most historians believe that Mozi was a member of the lower artisan class who managed to climb his way to an official post. He was a native of the state of Lu (modern Tengzhou, Shandong), although for a time he served as a minister in the state of Song. Similar to Confucius, Mozi maintained a school for those who desired to become officials serving in the different ruling courts of the Warring States. He was a carpenter and was extremely skilled in creating devices, and though he did not hold a high official position, he was sought out by various rulers as an expert on fortification. He was schooled in Confucianism in his early years, but viewed it as too fatalistic and overemphasizing elaborate celebrations and funerals, which he considered detrimental to the livelihood and productivity of the common people. Mozi attracted a large following during his lifetime, rivaling that of Confucius; his followers—mostly technicians and craftspeople—were organized in a disciplined order that studied both his philosophical and technical writings. Mozi traveled from one crisis zone to another throughout the ravaged landscape of the Warring States, trying to dissuade rulers from their plans of conquest. According to the chapter 'Gongshu' in the Mozi, he once walked for ten days to the state of Chu to forestall an attack on the State of Song. At the Chu court, he engaged in nine simulated war games with Gongshu Ban, the chief military strategist of Chu, and overturned each stratagem. When Gongshu Ban threatened him with death, Mozi informed the king that his disciples had already trained the soldiers of Song in his fortification methods, so it would be useless to kill him. The Chu king was forced to call off the war. On the way back, however, the soldiers of Song, not recognizing Mozi, would not allow him to enter their city, and he had to spend a night freezing in the rain. After this episode, he also prevented the state of Qi from attacking the State of Lu. He taught that the defense of a city depended not only on fortification, weaponry, and food supply, but also on keeping talented people close by and putting trust in them.

Reader's Guide

Mozi's significance lies in his founding of Mohism, which, alongside Confucianism, became the most prominent organized school of the Hundred Schools of Thought during the Warring States period. His philosophy emphasized universal love, social order, the will of Heaven, sharing, and honoring the worthy, and he argued strongly against both Confucianism and Taoism. 139 BCE. As Confucianism became the dominant school of thought during the Han, Mohism disappeared almost entirely by the middle of the Western Han period. Mozi's legacy includes his moral teachings emphasizing introspection, self-reflection, and authenticity rather than obedience to rituals, and his concept of 'impartial caring' or 'universal love' (jiān ài), which argued that people should care for all people equally. He also held a belief in the power of ghosts and spirits and taught that the will of Heaven was that people should love one another. The Mozi, an anthology of writings traditionally attributed to him and his followers, remains a key text for understanding his thought.

Did You Know?

• Mozi was a carpenter and was extremely skilled in creating devices.
• He once walked for ten days to the state of Chu to prevent an attack on the State of Song.
• Mozi is referenced in the 6th-century CE Thousand Character Classic, which records that he was saddened when he saw the dyeing of pure white silk.
• Mencius wrote that Mozi believed in love for all mankind, noting that he would pursue benefit for mankind even if it meant 'hurting his head or his feet'.