Here it is timely to point out that both the Mohists and the Confucianists seem to be inconsistent in their attitude towards the existence of spirits and the performance of rituals connected with the spirits. Certainly it seems inconsistent for the Mohist...[继续阅读]

    Besides religious sanctions, political ones are also needed if people are to practice all-embracing love. In the Mo-tzu, there are three chapters titled “Agreement with the Superior,” in which Mo Tzu expounds his theory of the origin of the state. Accordi...[继续阅读]

    The recluses were thus individualists who “desired to maintain their personal purity.” They were also, in a sense, defeatists who thought that the world was so bad that nothing could be done for it. One of them is reported in the Analects to have said: “T...[继续阅读]

    The Mencius says: “The principle of Yang Chu is:‘Each one for himself.’ Though he might have profited the whole world by plucking out a single hair, he would not have done it.”[1] The Lü-shih Chun-chiu (third century B. C.) says: “Yang Sheng valued self.”...[继续阅读]

    In Taoist literature, illustrations may be found for both the above-mentioned aspects of Yang Chus ideology. In the first chapter of the Chuang-tzu, there is a story about a meeting between the legendary sage-ruler Yao and a hermit named Hsü Yu. Yao was a...[继续阅读]

    Reflections of Yang Chus main ideas can be found in portions of the Lao-tzu and some chapters of the Chuang-tzu and the Lü-shih Chun-chiu. In the latter work there is a chapter titled “The Importance of Self,” in which it is said: “Our life is our own pos...[继续阅读]

    In this chapter we have been seeing the first phase in the development of early Taoist philosophy. Altogether there have been three main phases. The ideas attributed to Yang Chu represent the first. Those expressed in the greater part of the Lao-tzu repre...[继续阅读]

    We have seen that Confucius spoke very much about jen (human-heartedness), and made a sharp distinction between yi (righteousness) and li (profit). Every man should, without thought of personal advantage, unconditionally do what he ought to do, and be wha...[继续阅读]

    Here we find the fundamental difference between Confucianism and Mohism. One of Mencius self-appointed tasks was to “oppose Yang Chu and Mo Ti.” He says: “Yangs principle of ‘each one for himself’ amounts to making ones sovereign of no account. Mos princi...[继续阅读]

    We have seen earlier that the Mohist theory of the origin of state is likewise a utilitarianistic one. Here again the Confucianist theory differs. Mencius says: “If men have satisfied their hunger, have clothes to wear, and live at ease but lack good teac...[继续阅读]