Chapter 15: Universal Love -Part II
Master Mozi said: “The task of a benevolent man is to promote the benefits of the world and eliminate its harms, making this his sole business.” Now, what are the benefits of the world, and what are its harms? Master Mozi said: “Today, when states attack each other, clans usurp each other, and individuals harm each other; when rulers and subjects lack kindness and loyalty, fathers and sons lack affection and filial piety, and brothers lack harmony, these are the harms of the world.”
From where do these harms arise? Do they arise from a lack of mutual love? Master Mozi said: “They arise from a lack of mutual love.” Today, feudal lords only love their own states and do not love the states of others; therefore, they do not hesitate to mobilize their states to attack others. Clan heads only love their own clans and do not love the clans of others; therefore, they do not hesitate to mobilize their clans to usurp others. Individuals only love themselves and do not love others; therefore, they do not hesitate to use themselves to harm others. Thus, if feudal lords do not love each other, they will inevitably fight in the wild; if clan heads do not love each other, they will inevitably usurp each other; if individuals do not love each other, they will inevitably harm each other. If rulers and subjects do not love each other, there will be no kindness or loyalty; if fathers and sons do not love each other, there will be no affection or filial piety; if brothers do not love each other, there will be no harmony. When everyone in the world lacks mutual love, the strong will inevitably control the weak, the rich will insult the poor, the noble will despise the base, and the cunning will deceive the foolish. All the calamities, usurpations, resentments, and hatreds in the world arise from a lack of mutual love; therefore, the benevolent condemn it.
Having condemned it, how can it be changed? Master Mozi said: “It can be changed through the method of universal love and mutual benefit.” Now, how does the method of universal love and mutual benefit work? Master Mozi said: “Regard the states of others as your own state; regard the clans of others as your own clan; regard the persons of others as your own person. Therefore, if feudal lords love each other, they will not fight in the wild; if clan heads love each other, they will not usurp each other; if individuals love each other, they will not harm each other. If rulers and subjects love each other, there will be kindness and loyalty; if fathers and sons love each other, there will be affection and filial piety; if brothers love each other, there will be harmony. When everyone in the world loves each other, the strong will not control the weak, the many will not rob the few, the rich will not insult the poor, the noble will not despise the base, and the cunning will not deceive the foolish. All the calamities, usurpations, resentments, and hatreds in the world can be prevented from arising because of mutual love; therefore, the benevolent praise it.”
However, today’s scholars and gentlemen say: “True! Universal love is indeed good; nevertheless, it is an exceedingly difficult thing in the world.” Master Mozi said: “The scholars and gentlemen of the world simply do not recognize its benefits or understand its principles. Take, for instance, attacking cities and fighting in the wild, or sacrificing one’s life for fame; these are things that all the people of the world consider extremely difficult. Yet, if the ruler delights in them, the soldiers and masses are able to do them. How much more so for universal love and mutual benefit, which are entirely different! He who loves others will certainly be loved in return; he who benefits others will certainly be benefited in return; he who hates others will certainly be hated in return; he who harms others will certainly be harmed in return. What difficulty is there in this? It is simply that superiors do not adopt it as policy, and scholars do not adopt it as practice.”
“In ancient times, Duke Wen of Jin liked scholars who wore shabby clothes; therefore, his ministers all wore sheepskin coats, leather sword belts, and caps of plain silk, wearing them to court and walking in the palace. Why was this? Because the ruler delighted in it, the ministers did it. In ancient times, King Ling of Chu liked scholars with slender waists; therefore, his ministers restricted themselves to one meal a day, held their breath to put on their belts, supported themselves against walls to stand, and after a year, their faces had taken on a black-yellow color. Why was this? Because the ruler delighted in it, the ministers were able to do it. In ancient times, King Goujian of Yue liked brave soldiers. He taught his ministers to be united, and once set a ship on fire, telling his soldiers, ‘The treasures of Yue are all here!’ King Goujian beat the drum himself to urge his soldiers forward. Hearing the drum, they trampled into the fire and died, over a hundred people. King Goujian then struck the metal gong to make them retreat. Therefore, Master Mozi said: ‘Fasting, wearing shabby clothes, and sacrificing one’s life for fame are things the people consider extremely difficult, yet if the ruler delights in them, the masses can do them. How much more so for universal love and mutual benefit, which are different! He who loves others will be loved in return; he who benefits others will be benefited in return; he who hates others will be hated in return; he who harms others will be harmed in return. What difficulty is there in this? It is simply that the ruler does not adopt it as policy, and scholars do not adopt it as practice.’”
However, today’s scholars and gentlemen say: “True! Universal love is indeed good; nevertheless, it is an impossible thing to carry out. It is like lifting Mount Tai and crossing the Yellow River and the Ji River.” Master Mozi said: “This is an inappropriate analogy. Lifting Mount Tai and crossing the Yellow River and Ji River can be said to require ultimate strength; from ancient times to the present, no one has ever been able to do it. But universal love and mutual benefit are different; the ancient sage kings practiced them.” How do we know this? In ancient times, Yu the Great governed the world. In the west, he built the Yudou channel of the West River to drain the waters of Qu, Sun, and Huang. In the north, he built embankments for Fang, Yuan, and Pai, directing water to the base of Houzhi, digging channels at Juechi to reach Dizhu, and carving the Longmen pass, thereby benefiting the people of Yan, Dai, Hu, Mo, and the West River. In the east, he dredged Dalu and built embankments against the marsh of Mengzhu, dividing it into nine tributaries to block the eastern waters, thereby benefiting the people of Jizhou. In the south, he directed the Yangtze, Han, Huai, and Ru rivers to flow eastward into the Five Lakes, thereby benefiting the people of Jing, Chu, Gan, Yue, and the southern Yi. This was the work of Yu; I now practice universal love.
In ancient times, King Wen of Zhou governed the western lands like the sun and moon, shining his light in all four directions. He did not allow great states to insult small states, nor the multitude to insult widows and orphans, nor the violent to seize the millet and dogs and pigs of the farmers. Heaven looked down upon King Wen’s mercy; therefore, the old and childless were able to complete their natural lifespan; the lonely and brotherless were able to live among the living; and the young who lost their parents were able to be nurtured and grow up. This was the work of King Wen; I now practice universal love.
In ancient times, King Wu of Zhou was about to perform sacrifices at Mount Tai. The prayer said: ‘Mount Tai, the virtuous great-grandson, King of Zhou, has business to report. The great task is accomplished, and benevolent men have arisen to comfort the Shang, Xia, and the barbarian tribes. Even if I have close relatives, they are not as good as benevolent men. If the myriad regions commit crimes, let the guilt rest upon me alone.’ This was the work of King Wu; I now practice universal love.
Therefore, Master Mozi said: “If today’s scholars and gentlemen truly desire the world to be wealthy and abhor poverty, desire order and abhor chaos, they must practice universal love and mutual benefit. This is the law of the sage kings and the way to govern the world; it must not be neglected.”
Note
This chapter defends universal love against doubters. It uses rulers’ power to shape conduct as evidence, cites Yu, King Wen and King Wu to prove equal mutual love is workable, the sole cure for wars and all social harms.
Yu the Great:
A legendary ruler famous for taming the floods of ancient China rather than building dams, but by dredging channels to guide water to the sea. Mozi uses him as the ultimate exemplar of selfless, universal public service that benefited all regions and ethnic groups without partiality.
King Wen of Zhou:
The founder of the Zhou dynasty, revered in Chinese history as the embodiment of benevolent governance Ren Zheng). Mozi highlights his protection of the vulnerable (widows, orphans, the elderly) as proof that universal love was practically implemented by ancient sage kings.
King Wu of Zhou:
King Wen’s son, who overthrew the tyrannical Shang dynasty. Mozi quotes his prayer at Mount Tai (“Even if I have close relatives, they are not as good as benevolent men”) to demonstrate that even in dynastic succession, merit and universal benevolence supersede nepotism and partiality.
Duke Wen of Jin, King Ling of Chu, and King Goujian of Yue:
Three Spring and Autumn period rulers used by Mozi as psychological case studies. Mozi points out that their subjects willingly endured starvation, wore rags, and trampled into fire simply to please the rulers. This serves to dismantle the critics’ argument that universal love is “too difficult,” proving instead that human behavior is entirely malleable to the incentives set by leadership.
Universal Love (Impartial Care):
Mozi’s central ethical and political doctrine. Unlike Confucian graded love (which starts with family and extends outward), Mozi demands an egalitarian, boundary-less love where one treats another’s state, clan, and body exactly as one’s own.
Reciprocal Utilitarianism:
Mozi grounds his ethics not just in abstract morality, but in practical, mutual benefit. He argues that universal love is essentially a rational social contract: loving others guarantees that others will love you in return, creating a stable, mutually beneficial society.
Top-Down Behavioral Conditioning:
Mozi displays a highly pragmatic, almost proto-behaviorist understanding of human nature. He argues that people are not inherently incapable of universal love; they simply lack the proper institutional incentives. If rulers make universal love the basis of policy and reward, the masses will adopt it as easily as they adopt extreme asceticism or suicidal bravery to gain favor.
Lifting Mount Tai to Cross the Rivers:
A common idiom representing an absolutely impossible physical feat. Critics of Mohism used this to dismiss universal love as a utopian fantasy. Mozi refutes this by distinguishing between physical impossibility (lifting a mountain) and mere institutional/political neglect (failing to implement a moral policy).
Trampling the Fire:
A historical allusion to King Goujian of Yue’s extreme military discipline. It serves as a stark, visceral metaphor for human compliance with authority. If people can be conditioned to commit suicide for fame, Mozi argues, they can certainly be conditioned to practice mutual love for tangible social benefits.
子墨子言曰：“仁人之所以为事者，必兴天下之利，除去天下之害，以此为事者也。”然则天下之利何也？天下之害何也？子墨子言曰：“今若国之与国之相攻，家之与家之相篡，人之与人之相贼，君臣不惠忠，父子不慈孝，兄弟不和调，此则天下之害也。”
然则崇此害亦何用生哉？以不相爱生邪？子墨子言：“以不相爱生。”今诸侯独知爱其国，不爱人之国，是以不惮举其国，以攻人之国。今家主独知爱其家，而不爱人之家，是以不惮举其家，以篡人之家。今人独知爱其身，不爱人之身，是以不惮举其身，以贼人之身。是故诸侯不相爱，则必野战；家主不相爱，则必相篡；人与人不相爱，则必相贼；君臣不相爱，则不惠忠；父子不相爱，则不慈孝；兄弟不相爱，则不和调。天下之人皆不相爱，强必执弱，富必侮贫，贵必敖贱，诈必欺愚。凡天下祸篡怨恨，其所以起者，以不相爱生也，是以仁者非之。
既以非之，何以易之？子墨子言曰：“以兼相爱、交相利之法易之。”然则兼相爱、交相利之法，将奈何哉？子墨子言：“视人之国，若视其国；视人之家，若视其家；视人之身，若视其身。是故诸侯相爱，则不野战；家主相爱，则不相篡；人与人相爱，则不相贼；君臣相爱，则惠忠；父子相爱，则慈孝；兄弟相爱，则和调。天下之人皆相爱，强不执弱，众不劫寡，富不侮贫，贵不敖贱，诈不欺愚。凡天下祸篡怨恨，可使毋起者，以相爱生也，是以仁者誉之。”
然而今天下之士君子曰：“然！乃若兼则善矣；虽然，天下之难物于故也。”子墨子言曰：“天下之士君子，特不识其利、辩其故也。今若夫攻城野战，杀身为名，此天下百姓之所皆难也。苟君说之，则士众能为之。况于兼相爱、交相利，则与此异！夫爱人者，人必从而爱之；利人者，人必从而利之；恶人者，人必从而恶之；害人者，人必从而害之。此何难之有？特上弗以为政，士不以为行故也。”昔者晋文公好士之恶衣，故文公之臣，皆牂羊之裘，韦以带剑，练帛之冠，入以见于君，出以践于朝。是其故何也？君说之，故臣为之也。昔者楚灵王好士细要，故灵王之臣，皆以一饭为节，胁息然后带，扶墙然后起。比期年，朝有黧黑之色。是其故何也?君说之，故臣能之也。昔越王勾践好士之勇，教驯其臣和合之，焚舟失火，试其士曰：“越国之宝尽在此！”越王亲自鼓其士而进之。士闻鼓音，破碎乱行，蹈火而死者，左右百人有余，越王击金而退之。是故子墨子言曰：“乃若夫少食、恶衣、杀身而为名，此天下百姓之所皆难也，若苟君说之，则众能为之；况兼相爱、交相利，与此异矣！夫爱人者，人亦从而爱之；利人者，人亦从而利之；恶人者，人亦从而恶之；害人者，人亦从而害之。此何难之有焉？特君不以为政，而士不以为行故也。
然而今天下之士君子曰：“然！乃若兼则善矣；虽然，不可行之物也。譬若挈太山越河、济也。”子墨子言：“是非其譬也。夫挈太山而越河、济，可谓毕劫有力矣。自古及今，未有能行之者也；况乎兼相爱、交相利，则与此异，古者圣王行之。”何以知其然？古者禹治天下，西为西河渔窦，以泄渠、孙、皇之水。北为防、原、派、注后之邸，噱池之窦洒为底柱，凿为龙门，以利燕代胡貉与西河之民。东为漏大陆，防孟诸之泽，洒为九浍，以楗东土之水，以利冀州之民。南为江、汉、淮、汝，东流之注五湖之处，以利荆楚、干、越与南夷之民。此言禹之事，吾今行兼矣。昔者文王之治西土，若日若月，乍光于四方，于西土。不为大国侮小国，不为众庶侮鳏寡，不为暴势夺穑人黍稷狗彘。天屑临文王慈，是以老而无子者，有所得终其寿；连独无兄弟者，有所杂于生人之闲间，少失其父母者，有所放依而长。此文王之事，则吾今行兼矣。昔者武王将事太山，隧传曰：“泰山，有道曾孙周王有事。大事既获，仁人尚作，以祗商、夏、蛮夷丑貉。虽有周亲，不若仁人，万方有罪，维予一人。”此言武王之事，吾今行兼矣。
是故子墨子言曰：“今天下之士君子，忠实欲天下之富，而恶其贫；欲天下之治，而恶其乱，当兼相爱、交相利。此圣王之法，天下之治道也，不可不务为也。”
Leave a Reply