Chapter 9 Section 1 Mohism and Mohism in the Late Period

There are very few documents about Mozi and Mohism's activities that have been preserved, and it is even more difficult to draw a clear outline of Mohism in the later period.We only know that after the death of Mozi, the Mohism split up, and there were Mohists of the Xiangli family, Mohists of the Xiangfu family, and Mohists of the Dengling family.Each of the three schools called itself Zhenmo (that is, the true biography of Mozi's theory), and called each other "Bie (ie, non-authentic) Mo" (see "Zhuangzi · Tianxia").Mohism is a well-organized academic group with common political views.During the Warring States Period, the leader believed by the Mohists was called a "giant". According to legend, the "giant" system was indeed after Mozi and his disciple Qin slipped away.According to the "Lushi Chunqiu·Shangde" chapter, the Mohist giants include Meng Sheng, Tian Xiangzi, and Fu (Huang Xiang).Fortunately, there are six chapters of "Mo Jing" circulated (later included in the book "Mozi"). "Mo Jing" is the writing of Mohists in the Warring States Period. According to the textual research of Liang Qichao, Guo Moruo and others, it is believed that the six chapters of "Mo Jing" are documents that reflect the thoughts and theories of Mohism in the later period.These six chapters are "Jing Shang", "Jing Xia", "Jing Shuo Shang", "Jing Shuo Xia", "Great Acquisition", and "Small Acquisition".Most of its content belongs to the scope of epistemology, logic and science and technology.These six works are obviously not the works of one era or one person, but were gradually formed after long-term deliberation and refinement, and may have been compiled into a book during the Warring States Period.It has made a positive development of Mozi's philosophical thought, and has distinctive materialism characteristics.In view of nature, it abandoned Mozi's concepts of heaven and ghosts and religious consciousness, and closely linked philosophy with science.In terms of epistemology, it inherits the tradition of Mozi's epistemology, carries forward the characteristics of Mozi's emphasis on experience and practice, and at the same time overcomes the tendency and mistakes of Mozi's narrow empiricism to a considerable extent.In terms of logic, the "Mo Jing" has greatly improved Mozi's logical thoughts such as "Gu" and "Class".In the debate against sophistry, he gathered the culmination of various logical thoughts and proposed the first fairly complete logic system in the history of Chinese philosophy.In terms of social politics and ethical thought, it carried forward Mozi's "universal love" theory, put forward the famous proposition of "righteousness, benefit" ("Jing Shang"), highlighted the central idea of ​​"benefit", and regarded it as Standards and foundations for explaining various social phenomena and moral categories.In addition, the materials of the debates between Mohists and other thinkers in the later period are preserved in the six chapters.In short, it deepened Mozi's thoughts in some theoretical aspects, especially the knowledge and application of science and technology that were less involved in the academic works of the pre-Qin philosophers. contribute.