Chapter 21: Moderation in Expenditure – Part II
Master Mozi said: “The reason the enlightened kings and sages of antiquity were able to rule the world and rectify the feudal lords was that they loved the people with utmost loyalty and benefited them with great generosity. Their loyalty and good faith were inseparable, and they guided the people with tangible benefits. Thus, the people never grew weary of them throughout their lives, and harbored no resentment even after their deaths. This is why the enlightened kings and sages of antiquity were able to rule the world and rectify the feudal lords.”
Therefore, the ancient sage kings established laws for moderation in expenditure, stating: “Let all the craftsmen in the world – wheelwrights, leather workers, potters, and carpenters – each engage in what they are capable of. Let it be stipulated: once the production is sufficient to meet the daily needs of the people, production shall cease.” Anything that increases expenses without adding to the practical benefits of the people, the sage kings would not do.
The ancient sage kings established laws for food and drink, stating: “Food is sufficient if it fills the stomach, sustains the vital breath, strengthens the limbs, and keeps the ears and eyes sharp; then it shall cease. One should not exhaustively pursue the perfect blending of the five flavors or the harmony of fragrant aromas, nor should one procure rare and exotic items from distant lands.” How do we know this is so? When Emperor Yao governed the world, he pacified Jiaozhi in the south, subjugated Youdu in the north, and reached as far east and west as the places where the sun rises and sets; none dared to refuse submission. Yet, in his profound frugality, his meals consisted of no more than two types of grain, and his meat dishes were never duplicated. He ate from earthen bowls, drank from earthen cups, and ladled wine with earthen dippers. As for the elaborate etiquette of bowing, turning, and circling, the sage kings did not practice such things.
The ancient sage kings established laws for clothing, stating: “In winter, wear dark reddish garments that are light and warm; in summer, wear fine or coarse hemp garments that are light and cool; then it shall cease.” Anything that increases expenses without adding to the practical benefits of the people, the sage kings would not do.
Because fierce birds, cunning beasts, and violent men harmed the people, the ancient sages taught the people to carry weapons when traveling. They wore swords daily; a sword was considered advantageous if it could pierce when thrust, sever when struck, and not break when struck from the side. Armor was considered advantageous if, worn as clothing, it was light and protective, allowing weapons to move freely with the body. A carriage was considered advantageous if it could bear heavy loads over long distances, providing a safe ride and easy traction, arriving quickly without harming the passengers. Because the great rivers and vast valleys could not be crossed, the ancient sage kings created boats and oars; once they were sufficient for crossing, production ceased. Even when the Three Excellencies or feudal lords arrived, the boats and oars were not adorned, and the ferrymen did not dress up; this was the true utility of boats.
The ancient sage kings established laws for moderation in funerals, stating: “Three layers of clothing are sufficient for the flesh to decay; a coffin three inches thick is sufficient for the bones to decay; the grave should be deep enough not to reach the spring water, yet shallow enough that the odor does not escape; then it shall cease.” After the dead are buried, the living should not observe prolonged mourning or excessive grief.
In ancient times, when humanity first emerged and had no houses, people lived in caves on hills and mounds. The sage kings considered this and reasoned that while caves could shelter against the cold wind in winter, in summer the ground was damp and the air above was stifling, which they feared would harm the people’s health. Thus, they built houses for the people’s benefit. What, then, should be the standard for building houses? Master Mozi said: “The walls should be sufficient to ward off the cold wind, the roof sufficient to block snow, frost, rain, and dew, the interior clean enough for sacrifices, and the walls high enough to separate men and women; then it shall cease.” Anything that increases expenses without adding to the practical benefits of the people, the sage kings would not do.
Note
This chapter expands Mohist utilitarian frugality, setting minimal functional standards for food, clothes, housing, weapons and burials. It cites Emperor Yao as a model ruler rejecting fancy rituals and unnecessary luxurious spending.
Emperor Yao:
One of the legendary “Five Emperors” and the ultimate paragon of virtuous rulership in Chinese mythology. Mozi uses Yao to exemplify that true greatness and universal submission are achieved through profound frugality and practical governance, rather than through luxurious living or elaborate rituals.
Moderation in Expenditure / Frugality:
This chapter expands on the utilitarian core of Mohist frugality. Mozi establishes a strict functional baseline for all material goods: food is for nourishment, clothing is for temperature regulation, weapons are for defense, boats are for crossing water, and houses are for shelter and basic social boundaries. Anything beyond this functional baseline is deemed “useless expenditure.”
Anti-Ritualism (Critique of Confucian Etiquette):
Mozi explicitly attacks the Confucian emphasis on elaborate etiquette. By stating that sage kings did not engage in the “elaborate etiquette of bowing, turning, and circling” during meals, Mozi rejects the idea that complex social rituals are necessary for moral cultivation or political order. For Mohists, rituals are a waste of time and resources unless they serve a direct, practical utility (like maintaining hygiene or distinguishing gender roles).
Moderation in Funerals:
A cornerstone of Mohist thought. Mozi prescribes extremely minimalist burial practices (three layers of clothes, a three-inch coffin, and a shallow grave). This was a direct and radical critique of the Confucian practice of elaborate, multi-year mourning periods and expensive burials, which Mozi argued drained family wealth and hindered agricultural production.
Utilitarian Craftsmanship:
Mozi’s view on artisans and manufacturing is highly pragmatic. He advocates for standardization based purely on utility (“once the production is sufficient to meet the daily needs of the people, production shall cease”). This reflects a broader Mohist interest in technology and engineering, where innovation is valued only if it solves a tangible human problem (e.g., building boats to cross rivers or swords that do not break).
子墨子言曰：“古者明王圣人所以王天下、正诸侯者，彼其爱民谨忠，利民谨厚，忠信相连，又示之以利，是以终身不餍，殁世而不卷。古者明王圣人其所以王天下、正诸侯者，此也。”
是故古者圣王制为节用之法，曰：“凡天下群百工，轮车鞼匏、陶冶梓匠，使各从事其所能，曰：“凡足以奉给民用，则止。”诸加费不加于民利者，圣王弗为。
古者圣王制为饮食之法，曰：“足以充虚继气，强股肱，耳目聪明，则止。不极五昧之调、芬香之和，不致远国珍怪异物。”何以知其然？古者尧治天下，南抚交趾，北降幽都，东、西至日所出、入，莫不宾服。逮至其厚爱，黍稷不二，羹胾不重，饭于土塯，啜于土形，斗以酌，俯仰周旋，威仪之礼，圣王弗为。
古者圣王制为衣服之法，曰：“冬服绀緅之衣，轻且暖；夏服絺绤之衣，轻且凊，则止。”诸加费不加于民利者，圣王弗为。
古者圣人为猛禽狡兽暴人害民，于是教民以兵行。日带剑，为刺则入，击则断，旁击而不拆，此剑之利也。甲为衣，则轻且利，动则兵且从，此甲之利也。车为服重致远，乘之则安，引之则利，安以不伤人，利以速至，此车之利也。古者圣王为大川广谷之不可济，于是利为舟楫，足以将之，则止。虽上者三公，诸侯至，舟楫不易，津人不饰，此舟之利也。
古者圣王制为节葬之法，曰：“衣三领，足以朽肉；棺三寸，足以朽骸；窟穴，深不通于泉，流不发泄，则止。”死者既葬，生者毋久丧用哀。
古者人之始生，未有宫室之时，因陵丘窟穴而处焉。圣王虑之，以为窟穴，曰：冬可以避风寒，逮夏，下润湿，上熏蒸，恐伤民之气，于是作为宫室而利。然则为宫室之法，将奈何哉？子墨子言曰：“其旁可以圉风寒，上可以圉雪霜雨露，其中蠲洁，可以祭祀，宫墙足以为男女之别，则止。”诸加费不加民利者，圣王弗为。
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