Mencius uses craftsmen as a metaphor: teachers can pass on basic rules and standards, yet cannot grant innate masterful skill. True proficiency relies on learners’ own diligent practice, personal insight and active self-cultivation.
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…