Chapter 11: On Conforming to Superiors (Part I)
Master Mozi said: “In ancient times, when humanity first emerged and there were no laws or government, each person had their own standard of righteousness. Thus, one person had one standard, two people had two standards, and ten people had ten standards. The more people there were, the more standards of righteousness existed. Therefore, everyone approved of their own standard and disapproved of others’ standards, leading to mutual condemnation. Consequently, within families, fathers, sons, and brothers harbored resentment, becoming estranged and unable to live in harmony. Among the people of the world, all harmed one another with water, fire, and poison. Even when possessing surplus strength, they would not use it to help others; when possessing rotting surplus wealth, they would not share it; and when concealing good principles, they would not teach them to others. The chaos in the world was like that of beasts and birds.
Understanding that the chaos in the world arose from the absence of political leaders, the people selected the most worthy and capable in the world and established him as the Son of Heaven. Once the Son of Heaven was established, recognizing that his own strength was insufficient, he selected the most worthy and capable in the world and appointed them as the Three Dukes. After the Son of Heaven and the Three Dukes were established, recognizing that the world was vast and that the right and wrong, benefits and harms of people in distant lands could not be comprehended in detail, they divided the world into myriad states and established feudal lords for each. Once the feudal lords were established, recognizing that their own strength was insufficient, they selected the most worthy and capable in their states and appointed them as local officials (Zhengzhang).
Once the local officials were fully established, the Son of Heaven issued decrees to the people of the world, stating: ‘Upon hearing of good or bad deeds, you must report them to your superiors. What the superiors approve of, you must all approve; what the superiors disapprove of, you must all disapprove. When superiors commit faults, remonstrate with them; when subordinates do good, recommend them widely. Those who conform upward and do not form factions below are those whom superiors will reward and the people will praise. But if you hear of good or bad deeds and do not report them to your superiors; if you cannot approve what superiors approve, or disapprove what they disapprove; if you fail to remonstrate when superiors commit faults, or fail to recommend subordinates who do good; those who form factions below and fail to conform upward are those whom superiors will punish and the people will condemn.’ Superiors used these principles to administer rewards and punishments, being extremely perceptive, clear, and trustworthy.
The Village Head is a benevolent person of the village. The Village Head issues decrees to the villagers, stating: ‘Upon hearing of good or bad deeds, you must report them to the District Head. What the District Head approves of, you must all approve; what he disapproves of, you must all disapprove. Discard your bad words and learn the good words of the District Head; discard your bad actions and learn the good actions of the District Head.’ Then, how could the district be in chaos? If we examine why the district is well-governed, it is because the District Head alone is able to unify the standards of righteousness of the entire district; thus, the district is well-governed.
The District Head is a benevolent person of the district. The District Head issues decrees to the people of the district, stating: ‘Upon hearing of good or bad deeds, you must report them to the State Ruler. What the State Ruler approves of, you must all approve; what he disapproves of, you must all disapprove. Discard your bad words and learn the good words of the State Ruler; discard your bad actions and learn the good actions of the State Ruler.’ Then, how could the state be in chaos? If we examine why the state is well-governed, it is because the State Ruler alone is able to unify the standards of righteousness of the entire state; thus, the state is well-governed.
The State Ruler is a benevolent person of the state. The State Ruler issues decrees to the people of the state, stating: ‘Upon hearing of good or bad deeds, you must report them to the Son of Heaven. What the Son of Heaven approves of, you must all approve; what he disapproves of, you must all disapprove. Discard your bad words and learn the good words of the Son of Heaven; discard your bad actions and learn the good actions of the Son of Heaven.’ Then, how could the world be in chaos? If we examine why the world is well-governed, it is because the Son of Heaven alone is able to unify the standards of righteousness of the entire world; thus, the world is well-governed.
If the people of the world all conform upward to the Son of Heaven, but do not conform upward to Heaven, then disasters will still not be removed. Now, if Heaven sends fierce winds and bitter rains that arrive continuously, this is how Heaven punishes the people for failing to conform upward to Heaven. Therefore, Master Mozi said: ‘The ancient sage kings established the five punishments to govern their people. This is like silk threads having a starting point, or a fishing net having a head rope; it is the means to bind and gather the people of the world, preventing them from failing to conform upward to their superiors.’”
Note
This chapter elaborates Mohist “Conforming to Superiors”. It argues chaotic pre-civilization stemmed from conflicting moral standards, then outlines a merit-based hierarchical system unifying all judgments upward, ultimately aligning with Heaven to eliminate disasters.
Conforming to Superiors (Upward Conformity, 尚同):
The central doctrine of this chapter. Mozi proposes a highly centralized, top-down political and moral hierarchy to cure societal chaos. He argues that moral relativism (“everyone has their own standard”) leads to conflict. To achieve order, all individuals must align their judgments and behaviors with their immediate superiors, culminating in absolute alignment with the Son of Heaven, and ultimately, with Heaven itself.
State of Nature as Chaos:
Unlike some Western philosophers who view the state of nature as one of perfect freedom, Mozi views the pre-political state as a Hobbesian nightmare where humans act like “beasts and birds,” harming each other with “water, fire, and poison” due to a lack of unified moral standards.
Meritocratic Hierarchy:
Although the system demands absolute conformity, Mozi insists that the leaders at every level (from Village Head to Son of Heaven) must be selected based on their worthiness and capability (“the most worthy and capable”), linking this chapter closely to his doctrine of “Exalting the Worthy”.
The Mandate of Heaven as Ultimate Authority:
The chapter concludes by establishing that political conformity is insufficient without cosmic alignment. Natural disasters (fierce winds, bitter rains) are interpreted as Heaven’s punishment for moral and political failure, serving as the ultimate check on the Son of Heaven’s authority.
The Three Dukes:
The highest-ranking officials in ancient Chinese government (typically the Grand Tutor, Grand Assistant, and Grand Guardian). Mozi cites them as the first tier of administrative support established by the Son of Heaven to manage the vast territory.
The Five Punishments:
The traditional penal system in ancient China, which typically included tattooing the face, cutting off the nose, amputating a foot, castration, and death. Mozi uses the establishment of these harsh punishments not as cruelty, but as a necessary structural tool (like the “head rope of a fishing net”) to enforce conformity and maintain social order.
子墨子言曰：古者民始生，未有刑政之时，盖其语，人异义。是以一人则一义，二人则二义，十人则十义。其人兹众，其所谓义者亦兹众。是以人是其义，以非人之义，故交相非也。是以内者父子兄弟作，离散不能相和合；天下之百姓，皆以水火毒药相亏害。至有余力，不能以相劳；腐朽余财，不以相分；隐匿良道，不以相教。天下之乱，若禽兽然。
夫明乎天下之所以乱者，生于无政长。是故选天下之贤可者，立以为天子。天子立，以其力为未足，又选天下之贤可者，置立之以为三公。天子、三公既以立，以天下为博大，远国异土之民，是非利害之辩，不可一二而明知，故画分万国，立诸侯国君。诸侯国君既已立，以其力为未足，又选择其国之贤可者，置立之以为正长。
正长既已具，天子发政于天下之百姓，言曰：“闻善而不善，皆以告其上。上之所是，必皆是之，所非，必皆非之。上有过则规谏之，下有善则傍荐之。上同而不下比者，此上之所赏而下之所誉也。意若闻善而不善，不以告其上；上之所是弗能是，上之所非弗能非；上有过弗规谏，下有善弗傍荐；下比不能上同者，此上之所罚而百姓所毁也。”上以此为赏罚，甚明察以审信。
是故里长者，里之仁人也。里长发政里之百姓，言曰：“闻善而不善，必以告其乡长。乡长之所是，必皆是之；乡长之所非，必皆非之。去若不善言，学乡长之善言；去若不善行，学乡长之善行。”则乡何说以乱哉。察乡之所治者何也？乡长唯能壹同乡之义，是以乡治也。
乡长者，乡之仁人也。乡长发政乡之百姓，言曰：“闻善而不善者，必以告国君。国君之所是，必皆是之；国君之所非，必皆非之。去若不善言，学国君之善言；去若不善行，学国君之善行。”则国何说以乱哉？察国之所以治者何也？国君唯能壹同国之义，是以国治也。
国君者，国之仁人也。国君发政国之百姓，言曰:“闻善而不善，必以告天子。天子之所是，皆是之；天子之所非，皆非之。去若不善言，学天子之善言；去若不善行，学天子之善行。”则天下何说以乱哉？察天下之所以治者何也？天子唯能壹同天下之义，是以天下治也。
天下之百姓皆上同于天子，而不上同于天，则灾犹未去也。今若天飘风苦雨，溱溱而至者，此天之所以罚百姓之不上同于天者也。是故子墨子言曰：“古者圣王为五刑，请以治其民。譬若丝缕之有纪，罔罟之有纲，所以连收天下之百姓，不尚同其上者也。”
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