Instead, he promoted frugality, simple burial (just a thin coffin and no grave goods), and a focus on material production.
Mozi opposed aggressive warfare, which he saw as wasteful and cruel. He distinguished between just defense (allowing small states to protect themselves) and offensive conquest. Using cost-benefit analysis, he argued that even the victor suffers net losses in lives, resources, and social stability. His followers were known to travel to states preparing for attack, offering defensive technologies and logical arguments to prevent conflict. Instead, he promoted frugality, simple burial (just a
For centuries, the Mohist school, founded by , was erased from mainstream Chinese intellectual history, dismissed by Confucian scholars as heretical. Yet, in the modern era, Mozi has been resurrected. Communists admired his utilitarian focus on manual labor, scientists revered his contributions to optics and physics, and pacifists embraced his doctrine of "Universal Love." Using cost-benefit analysis, he argued that even the
Who is the for this post (e.g., startup founders, history buffs, or students)? What is the main takeaway you want your readers to have? Yet, in the modern era, Mozi has been resurrected
Mozi's teachings, as recorded in the Mozi , a collection of texts that outline his philosophy, were revolutionary for their time. He rejected the traditional aristocratic and Confucian values that emphasized social hierarchy and privilege, instead advocating for a more egalitarian and compassionate approach to human relationships.