Mo Di (c. 468–376 BCE), commonly known as Mozi (“Master Mo”), was a seminal thinker, political theorist, and founder of the Mohist school during the transitional period between the Spring and Autumn and Warring States eras of ancient China. Born into a family of humble artisan or small-scale craftsman origins, Mozi possessed exceptional skill in practical engineering and craftsmanship.
Deeply troubled by the rampant warfare, aristocratic extravagance, and widespread suffering among common people of his time, he articulated a comprehensive ethical and political doctrine centered on core principles:
- “Universal Love” (Jian Ai): impartial care for all people regardless of kinship or status;
- “Condemnation of Offensive Warfare” (Fei Gong): staunch opposition to aggressive war as morally unjust and socially destructive;
- “Rejection of Elaborate Music” (Fei Yue), “Frugality in Expenditure” (Jie Yong), and “Simple Burials” (Jie Zang): critiques of ritual excess and wasteful luxury.
One of the most famous episodes illustrating his activism is recorded in classical texts such as the Mozi. When the powerful state of Chu planned to invade the weaker state of Song, it commissioned Gongshu Ban (also known as Lu Ban), the era’s most renowned master craftsman, to design advanced siege engines. Upon hearing this, Mozi traveled tirelessly for ten days and nights to reach the Chu capital. There, he engaged Gongshu Ban in a simulated battle using belts and models to represent city walls and weapons. Mozi demonstrated superior defensive tactics and countermeasures that neutralized every offensive device proposed by Gongshu Ban. Confronted with the certainty of failure, the king of Chu abandoned the invasion plan, thus sparing Song from destruction.
The text attributed to him, the Mozi, was not authored solely by Mozi himself. Rather, it was compiled posthumously by his disciples and later followers based largely on lecture notes and records of his teachings. It stands as a crucial repository of early Chinese philosophy, logic, ethics, political theory, and even proto-scientific inquiry – particularly in optics and mechanics.
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