Chapter 26: The Will of Heaven – Part I
Master Mozi said: “The scholars and gentlemen of the world know small things but do not know great things.” How do we know this? We know it from how they conduct themselves in their families. If a person offends the head of the family at home, he may still flee to a neighbor’s house for refuge. Yet, his relatives, brothers, and acquaintances will all warn one another, saying, “We must be vigilant! We must be careful! How can anyone offend the head of the family at home and expect to get away with it?” It is not only so in families; it is the same in states. If a person offends the ruler of a state, he may still flee to a neighboring state for refuge. Yet, his relatives, brothers, and acquaintances will all warn one another, saying, “We must be vigilant! We must be careful! Who can offend the ruler of a state and expect to get away with it?” In these cases, there is still a place to flee, yet people warn one another with such severity. How much more severe should the warnings be when there is absolutely nowhere to flee? Moreover, there is an ancient saying: “If one commits a crime in broad daylight, where can he flee?” The answer is: “Nowhere.” Heaven does not fail to see clearly just because one is in a dense forest, a deep valley, or a dark, uninhabited place. Yet, the scholars and gentlemen of the world are careless toward Heaven and do not know to warn one another. This is how I know that the scholars and gentlemen of the world know small things but do not know great things.
What, then, does Heaven desire and what does it abhor? Heaven desires righteousness (yi) and abhors unrighteousness. Therefore, if I lead the people of the world to engage in righteousness, I am doing what Heaven desires. If I do what Heaven desires, Heaven will also fulfill what I desire. What, then, do I desire and what do I abhor? I desire blessings and good fortune, and I abhor disasters and misfortune. If I do not do what Heaven desires, but do what Heaven abhors, then I am leading the people of the world into disasters and misfortune. How do we know that Heaven desires righteousness and abhors unrighteousness? I say: When there is righteousness in the world, there is life; without it, there is death. With righteousness, there is wealth; without it, there is poverty. With righteousness, there is order; without it, there is chaos. Since Heaven desires life and abhors death, desires wealth and abhors poverty, desires order and abhors chaos, this is how I know that Heaven desires righteousness and abhors unrighteousness.
Furthermore, righteousness is good governance. There is no governance from below over above; governance must always flow from above to below. Therefore, commoners exert their strength but cannot govern on their own; they are governed by scholars. Scholars exert their strength but cannot govern on their own; they are governed by generals and ministers. Generals and ministers exert their strength but cannot govern on their own; they are governed by the Three Excellencies and feudal lords. The Three Excellencies and feudal lords exert their strength but cannot govern on their own; they are governed by the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven cannot govern on his own; he is governed by Heaven. That the Son of Heaven governs the Three Excellencies, feudal lords, scholars, and commoners is clearly known to the scholars and gentlemen of the world. However, that Heaven governs the Son of Heaven is not clearly understood by the common people. Therefore, the sage kings of the Three Dynasties – Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu – wishing to make it clear to the people that Heaven governs the Son of Heaven, all raised cattle and sheep, fed dogs and pigs, and prepared pure grain and sweet wine to sacrifice to the Supreme God and ghosts and spirits, seeking blessings from Heaven. I have never heard of anyone in the world seeking blessings from the Son of Heaven. This is how I know that Heaven governs the Son of Heaven.
The Son of Heaven is the ultimate in nobility and the ultimate in wealth in the world. Therefore, those who are wealthy and noble must follow the will of Heaven and cannot go against it. Those who follow the will of Heaven, practicing universal love and mutual benefit, will surely be rewarded; those who go against the will of Heaven, practicing partial hatred and mutual harm, will surely be punished. Who, then, followed the will of Heaven and was rewarded? Who went against it and was punished? Master Mozi said: “The sage kings of the Three Dynasties – Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu – followed the will of Heaven and were rewarded. The tyrants of the Three Dynasties – Jie, Zhou, You, and Li – went against the will of Heaven and were punished.” Why were Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu rewarded? Master Mozi said: “Above, they revered Heaven; in the middle, they served ghosts and spirits; below, they loved the people. Therefore, the will of Heaven said: ‘These men love universally what I love, and benefit universally what I benefit. Their love for people is broad, and their benefit to people is abundant.’ Thus, Heaven made them noble as Sons of Heaven, wealthy with the world, their legacy passed to ten thousand generations, their goodness praised, their grace spread across the world, and they are still called sage kings to this day.” Why were Jie, Zhou, You, and Li punished? Master Mozi said: “Above, they cursed Heaven; in the middle, they cursed ghosts and spirits; below, they harmed the people. Therefore, the will of Heaven said: ‘These men hate what I love and harm what I benefit. Their hatred of people is broad, and their contempt for people is abundant.’ Thus, Heaven made them unable to complete their natural lifespan or preserve their dynasties, and they are still reviled to this day, called tyrant kings.”
How do we know that Heaven loves the people of the world? Because it illuminates them universally. How do we know it illuminates them universally? Because it possesses them universally. How do we know it possesses them universally? Because it feeds them universally. Within the four seas, all grain-eating people raise cattle and sheep, feed dogs and pigs, and prepare pure grain and sweet wine to sacrifice to the Supreme God and ghosts and spirits. Since Heaven possesses these city-dwellers, how could it not love them? Moreover, I say that whoever kills an innocent person will surely incur a misfortune. Who kills the innocent? It is man. Who gives the misfortune? It is Heaven. If Heaven did not love the people of the world, why would it send misfortune when men kill one another? This is how I know that Heaven loves the people of the world.
Those who follow the will of Heaven practice the government of righteousness; those who go against it practice the government of force. What is the government of righteousness? Master Mozi said: “A great state does not attack a small state; a great family does not usurp a small family; the strong do not rob the weak; the noble do not despise the humble; the cunning do not deceive the foolish. This is beneficial above to Heaven, in the middle to ghosts and spirits, and below to the people. With these three benefits lacking nothing, the world bestows upon them the most beautiful names, calling them sage kings. The government of force is the opposite: their words deny this, and their actions contradict it, like running in the opposite direction. A great state attacks a small state; a great family usurps a small family; the strong rob the weak; the noble despise the humble; the cunning deceive the foolish. This is harmful above to Heaven, in the middle to ghosts and spirits, and below to the people. With these three harms lacking no evil, the world bestows upon them the most terrible names, calling them tyrant kings.”
Master Mozi said: “I have the Will of Heaven, just as a wheelwright has a compass and a carpenter has a square. The wheelwright and carpenter use their compass and square to measure the roundness and squareness of the world, saying, ‘What matches is right; what does not match is wrong.’ Today, the writings of the scholars and gentlemen of the world are too numerous to be fully recorded, and their words too many to be fully counted. They persuade princes above and scholars below, but in their understanding of benevolence and righteousness, they fall far short of the true standard. How do we know this? I say: Because I possess the clear standard of the world to measure them.”
Note
This chapter introduces Heaven’s will as the universal moral yardstick. Heaven favors righteousness and universal love, punishes partiality and wars. Sage kings complied with it while tyrants defied it, bringing corresponding blessings and disasters.
Sage Kings (Yu, Tang, Wen, Wu):
Yu the Great, Tang of Shang, King Wen, and King Wu of Zhou are presented as the ultimate moral exemplars. Mozi argues that their success and enduring legacy were not due to military might or hereditary privilege, but because they perfectly aligned their governance with the “Will of Heaven” by practicing universal love and mutual benefit.
Tyrant Kings (Jie, Zhou, You, Li):
Jie of Xia, Zhou of Shang, King You, and King Li of Zhou serve as the archetypal villains. Mozi uses them to demonstrate the inevitable cosmic retribution for violating the Will of Heaven through oppression, cruelty, and partiality.
The Will of Heaven:
This is a foundational concept in Mohism. Unlike the somewhat distant or morally ambiguous “Heaven” in other ancient Chinese philosophies, Mozi’s Heaven is a highly personal, omniscient, and moral deity. It acts as the supreme moral arbiter and the ultimate source of political legitimacy. Heaven’s will is explicitly defined as desiring “righteousness”, which Mozi equates with universal love and mutual benefit.
Divine Right of Kings vs. Conditional Mandate:
Mozi redefines the traditional Chinese concept of the “Mandate of Heaven.” While traditional thought often viewed the mandate as tied to dynastic lineage or ritual correctness, Mozi makes it strictly conditional on utilitarian and ethical governance. The Son of Heaven is merely Heaven’s subordinate; if he fails to practice universal love, he loses the mandate and is punished.
Government of Righteousness vs. Government of Force:
Mozi draws a sharp dichotomy between two types of governance. “Yi Zheng” (Government of Righteousness) is based on moral persuasion, universal love, and non-aggression. “Li Zheng” (Government of Force) is based on coercion, military might, and partiality. This serves as a direct philosophical attack on the Realist (Legalist) and militarist trends of the Warring States period.
Epistemological Standards (Compass and Square):
Mozi uses the tools of artisans (the compass for circles, the square for right angles) as a metaphor for objective moral standards. Just as a carpenter doesn’t rely on subjective feelings to judge if a wheel is round, a philosopher shouldn’t rely on subjective traditions to judge if a policy is righteous. The “Will of Heaven” serves as the absolute, objective measuring stick for all human ethics and politics.
Nowhere to Flee:
Mozi uses the metaphor of a criminal fleeing from a local magistrate to a neighboring state to illustrate the limitations of human justice. Heaven, however, is omnipresent. This anticipates the concept of divine omniscience and serves to enforce moral accountability even in the absence of human witnesses.
Retribution for Killing the Innocent:
Mozi uses this as empirical proof of Heaven’s love for humanity. If Heaven were indifferent, it would not punish human murderers. The fact that Heaven actively punishes those who harm the innocent proves that Heaven is a benevolent, protective force.
子墨子言曰：“天下之士君子，知小而不知大。”何以知之？以其处家者知之。若处家得罪于家长，犹有邻家所避逃之；然且亲戚、兄弟、所知识，共相儆戒，皆曰：“不可不戒矣!不可不慎矣!恶有处家而得罪于家长而可为也？”非独处家者为然，虽处国亦然。处国得罪于国君，犹有邻国所避逃之；然且亲戚、兄弟所知识，共相儆戒，皆曰：“不可不戒矣！不可不慎矣！谁亦有处国得罪于国君而可为也！”此有所避逃之者也，相儆戒犹若此其厚，况无所避逃之者，相儆戒岂不愈厚，然后可哉？且语言有之曰：“焉而晏日焉而得罪，将恶避逃之？”曰：“无所避逃之。”夫天不可为林谷幽门无人，明必见之。然而天下之士君子之于天也，忽然不知以相儆戒。此我所以知天下士君子，知小而不知大也。
然则天亦何欲何恶？天欲义而恶不义。然则率天下之百姓，以从事于义，则我乃为天之所欲也。我为天之所欲，天亦为我所欲。然则我何欲何恶？我欲福禄而恶祸祟。若我不为天之所欲，而为天之所不欲，然则我率天下之百姓，以从事于祸祟中也。然则何以知天之欲义而恶不义？曰：天下有义则生，无义则死，有义则富，无义则贫，有义则治，无义则乱。然则天欲其生而恶其死，欲其富而恶其贫，欲其治而恶其乱，此我所以知天欲义而恶不义也。
曰：且夫义者，政也。无从下之政上，必从上之政下。是故庶人竭力从事，未得次己而为政，有士政之，士竭力从事，未得次己而为政，有将军、大夫政之；将军、大夫竭力从事，未得次己而为政，有三公、诸侯政之；三公、诸侯竭力听治，未得次己而为政，有天子政之；天子未得次己而为政，有天政之。天子为政于三公、诸侯、士、庶人，天下之士君子固明知；天之为政于天子，天下百姓未得之明知也。故昔三代圣王，禹、汤、文、武，欲以天之为政于天子，明说天下之百姓，故莫不（牛＋邹的左半）牛羊，豢犬彘，洁为粢盛酒醴，以祭祀上帝鬼神，而求祈福于天。我未尝闻天下之所求祈福于天子者也，我所以知天之为政于天子者也。
故天子者，天下之穷贵也，天下之穷富也。故于富且贵者，当天意而不可不顺。顺天意者，兼相爱、交相利，必得赏；反天意者，别相恶，交相贼，必得罚。然则是谁顺天意而得赏者？谁反天意而得罚者？子墨子言曰：“昔三代圣王，禹、汤、文、武，此顺天意而得赏也。昔三代之暴王，桀、纣、幽、厉，此反天意而得罚者也。”然则禹、汤、文、武，其得赏者何以也？子墨子言曰：“其事上尊天，中事鬼神，下爱人，故天意曰：’此之我所爱，兼而爱之；我所利，兼而利之。爱人者此为博焉，利人者此为厚焉。’故使贵为天子，富有天下，业万世子孙，传称其善，方施天下，至今称之，谓之圣王。”然则桀、纣、幽、厉，得其罚何以也？子墨子言曰：“其事上诟天，中诟鬼，下贼人，故天意曰：’此之我所爱，别而恶之；我所利，交而贼之。恶人者，此为之博也；贱人者，此为之厚也。’故使不得终其寿，不殁其世，至今毁之，谓之暴王。”
然则何以知天之爱天下之百姓？以其兼而明之。何以知其兼而明之？以其兼而有之。何以知其兼而有之？以其兼而食焉。何以知其兼而食焉？四海之内，粒食之民，莫不（牛＋邹的左半）牛羊，豢犬彘，洁为粢盛酒醴，以祭祀于上帝鬼神。天有邑人，何用弗爱也？且吾言杀一不辜者，必有一不祥。杀不辜者谁也？则人也。予之不祥者谁也？则天也。若以天为不爱天下之百姓，则何故以人与人相杀，而天予之不祥？此我所以知天之爱天下之百姓也。
顺天意者，义政也；反天意者，力政也。然义政将奈何哉？子墨子言曰：“处大国不攻小国，处大家不篡小家，强者不劫弱，贵者不傲贱，多诈者不欺愚。此必上利于天，中利于鬼，下利于人，三利无所不利，故举天下美名加之，谓之圣王。力政者则与此异，言非此，行反此，犹幸驰也。处大国攻小国，处大家篡小家，强者劫弱，贵者傲贱，多诈欺愚，此上不利于天，中不利于鬼，下不利于人。三不利无所利，故举天下恶名加之，谓之暴王。
子墨子言曰：“我有天志，譬若轮人之有规，匠人之有矩，轮匠执其规、矩，以度天下之方圆，曰：’中者是也，不中者非也。’今天下之士君子之书，不可胜载，言语不可详计，上说诸侯，下说列士，其于仁义，则大相远也。何以知之？曰：我得天下之明法以度之。”
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