Mozi and His Thoughts

Mozi, named Zhai, was the founder of Mohism. It is estimated that he was born in about 468 B.C. and died in 376 B.C. He came from the State of Lu (southeast of Shandong province) and was a thinker and politician during the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States periods. He once studied Confucianism. Since he was not satisfied with its idea of li (rites) he founded his own doctrine —— Mohism. It is said that Mozi and his disciples lived a simple and hard life and followed strict disciplines. 1155815

While opposing the idea of social superiority and inferiority stressed by Confucians, he maintained that officials would not always be superior and ordinary people would not always be inferior and advocated selecting the most sagacious person in the whole state to be the king and selecting competent persons to be officials, regardless of their origins. Against ten (benevolence) advocated by Confucians, he put forward yi (justice). The so-called y/means to make sure that the starving are fed, cold sufferers are clothed and workers get proper rest by promoting things beneficial to all and eliminating things harmful to all. Mozi advocated universal love, namely, everyone should love and help each other and treat others the way he would treat himself. During the Warring States Period, wars among different states broke out frequently. Mozi attributed all these to lack of mutual love. He also advocated feigong (no attack). He requested the warlike states to stop attacking the innocent states. He thought the war led by Dayu against Youmiao, the war led by King Tang against King Jie and the war led by King Wu against Zhou were aH just and conformed to the will of both the heaven and the people.  www.1155815.com

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