The Mohist Canons
{"WorkMasterId":6870,"WpPageId":285757,"ParentWpPageId":193893,"Slug":"the-mohist-canons","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/mozi-mo-di/the-mohist-canons/","RelativeUrl":"theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/mozi-mo-di/the-mohist-canons/","HasFullText":true,"RawHtmlLength":77308,"CleanHtmlLength":19967,"Kicker":"Philosophy Work","Title":"The Mohist Canons","Deck":"The Mohist Canons preserve technical definitions, standards, disputation, names, knowledge, optics, geometry, mechanics, and later Mohist analytic method.","BackLink":{"Text":"Back to Mozi (Mo Di)","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/mozi-mo-di/"},"AuthorCard":{"Label":"Author","Title":"Mozi (Mo Di)","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/mozi-mo-di/","MediaHref":"","ImageSrc":"https://chrisdeasy.com/wp-content/uploads/mozi-mo-di-01-chinese-characters.png","ImageAlt":"Mozi in seal and regular script","FilterTerra":"China (East Asia)","ClickText":"Mozi (Mo Di)","ClickHref":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/mozi-mo-di/","Copies":["470 BCE – 391 BCE","State of Lu or State of Song, Warring States China","Warring States philosopher of Mohism, jian ai, impartial care, anti-aggression, meritocracy, frugality, Heaven, ghosts, standards, logic, optics, and siege defense."]},"ContextCards":[{"Label":"Period","Key":"Period:1","Title":"Ancient History","DateText":"3000 BCE – 499 CE","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/eras-of-thought/philosophers-of-ancient-history/"},{"Label":"Era","Key":"Era:2","Title":"Iron Age","DateText":"1200 BCE – 501 BCE","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/eras-of-thought/philosophers-of-ancient-history/philosophers-of-the-iron-age/"},{"Label":"Composition","Title":"400 BCE","Url":"","DateText":""}],"DateNote":"Displayed as 400 BCE as an approximate Warring States proxy for the received Mozi and Mohist chapter 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method."],"Classification":{"AlternateTitles":"Mojing; Canons and Explanations","KeyConcepts":"The Mohist Canons; Mozi; Mo Di; Mohism; jian ai; impartial care; universal love; li; benefit; yi; righteousness; anti-aggression; meritocracy; frugality; anti-fatalism; Heaven; ghosts; fa; standards; Mohist Canons; siege defense; Warring States","Methodology":"Argument by practical benefit, moral-political criticism, appeal to standards, historical exempla, dialogical refutation, analogical reasoning, administrative prescription, and technical Mohist analysis.","Structure":"Registered Mozi/Mohist transmitted work or chapter group; the page summarizes title, date proxy, language, tradition, disciplines, received status, and source evidence without importing full text."},"Arguments":["Develops Mohist arguments about impartial care, public benefit, rejection of aggression, meritocratic administration, economy of use, ritual criticism, Heaven and ghosts, non-fatalism, standards of names and 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political order, classical moral vocabulary, Confucian ritual debate, Warring States warfare, craft and artisan expertise, sage-king traditions, and practical administration."},{"Label":"Influence On","Value":"Later Mohists, early Chinese logic, Warring States disputation, Xunzi, Han Feizi, debates over utilitarian or consequentialist ethics, Chinese philosophy of language, and histories of optics and defensive engineering."}]},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Significance","Paragraphs":["Part of the received Mozi corpus or a major Mohist chapter group used to reconstruct the only major organized rival to early Confucianism in the Warring States period.","Used in debates about impartiality, consequentialism, pacifism and defensive war, meritocracy, public reason, standards of evidence, language, technology, optics, and non-Confucian Chinese ethics."]},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Evidence Note","Paragraphs":["Accepted as a direct Mozi/Mohist work or named chapter group; the page must state that the received text is layered Mohist school transmission and has no verified full-text section here."]},{"Kind":"RawSection","Title":"Full Text","BodyHtml":"\u003cp class=\"dz-philo__section-copy dz-philo__full-text-source\"\u003eFull text from \u003ca href=\"https://ctext.org/mozi/jing-shuo-shang\"\u003eChinese Text Project: The Mohist Canons\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003carticle class=\"dz-philo__full-text-body\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e經說上\u003c/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e故：小故，有之不必然，無之必不然。體也，若有端。大故，有之必無然，若見之成見也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e體：若二之一，尺之端也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e知：材，知也者。所以知也而必知。若明。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e慮：慮也者，以其知有求也，而不必得之。若睨。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e知：知也者，以其知過物而能貌之。若見。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e恕：恕也者，以其知論物而其知之也著。若明。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e仁：愛己者，非為用己也。不若愛馬。著若明。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e義：志以天下為芬，而能能利之，不必用。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e禮：貴者公，賤者名，而俱有敬僈。焉等，異論也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e行：所為不善名，行也；所為善名，巧也。若為盜。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e實：其志氣之見也，使人如己。不若金聲玉服。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e忠：不利，弱子亥足將入止容。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e孝：以親為芬，而能能利親。不必得。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e信：不以其言之當也，使人視城得金。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e佴：與人遇，人衆，\u0026#141178;。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026#162332;：為是為是之台彼也，弗為也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e廉：己惟為之，知其也\u0026#157111;也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e所令非身弗行。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e任：為身之所惡，以成人之所急。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e勇：以其敢於是也，命之；不以其不敢於彼也，害之。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e力：重之謂，下與重，舊也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e生：楹之生。商不可必也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e臥：\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e夢：\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e平：惔然。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e利：得是而喜，則是利也。其害也，非是也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e害：得是而惡，則是害也。其利也，非是也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e治：吾事治矣，人有治南北。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e譽之必其行也。其言之忻，使人督之。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e誹：必其行也，其言之忻。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e譽：告以文名，舉彼實也故。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e言也者，諸口能之，出民者也。民若畫俿也。言也謂，言猶石致也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e且：自前曰且，自後曰已。方然亦且。若石者也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e君：以若名者也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e功：不待時，若衣裘。功不待時，若衣裘。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e賞：\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e罪：不在禁，惟害無罪，殆姑。上報下之功也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e罰：上報下之罪也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e侗：二人而俱見是楹也，若事君。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e今久：古今且莫。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e宇：東西家南北。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e窮：或不容尺，有窮；莫不容尺，無窮也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e盡：但止動。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e始：時或有久，或無久，始當無久。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e化：若鼃為鶉。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e損：偏也者兼之禮也。其體或去存，謂其存者損。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e儇：昫民也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e庫：區穴若斯貌常。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e動：偏祭從者，戶樞免瑟。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e止：無久之不止，當牛非馬，若夫過楹。有久之不止，當馬非馬，若人過梁。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e必：謂臺執者也。若弟兄一然者一不然者，必「不必」也，是非必也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e同：捷與狂之同長也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e心中：自是往相若也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e厚：惟無所大。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e圜：規寫攴也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e方：矩見攴也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e倍：二尺與尺但去一。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e端：是無同也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e有聞：謂夾之者也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e聞：謂夾者也。尺前於區穴而後於端，不夾於端與區內。及及非齊之，及也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e纑：虛也者，兩木之間，謂其無木者也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e盈：無盈無厚。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e於尺無所往而不得，得二，堅。異處不相盈，相非，是相外也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e攖：尺與尺俱不盡，端與端俱盡。尺與或盡或不盡。堅白之攖相盡，體攖不相盡。端。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e仳：兩有端而后可。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e次：無厚而后可。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e法：意、規、員三也，俱可以為法。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e佴：然也者，民若法也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e彼：凡牛、樞非牛，兩也。無以非也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e辯：或謂之牛，或謂之非牛，是爭彼也。是不俱當。不俱當，必或不當，不若當犬。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e為：欲\u0026#168037;其指，智不知其害，是智之罪也。若智之慎文也無遺，於其害也，而猶欲\u0026#168037;之，則離之是猶食脯也。騷之利害，未知也，欲而騷，是不以所疑止所欲也。廧外之利害，未可知也，趨之而得力，則弗趨也，是以所疑止所欲也。觀「為，窮知而\u0026#132148;於欲」之理，\u0026#168037;脯而非\u0026#141076;也，\u0026#168037;指而非愚也，所為與不所與為相疑也，非謀也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e已：為衣，成也；治病，亡也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e使：令，謂「謂」也，不必成。濕，「故」也，必待所為之成也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e名：物，達也。有實必待文多也。命之馬，類也。若實也者，必以是名也。命之臧，私也。是名也止於是實也。聲出口，俱有名，若姓宇灑。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e謂：狗、犬，命也。狗犬，舉也。叱狗，加也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e知：傳受之，聞也；方不㢓，說也；身觀焉，親也。所以謂，名也；所謂，實也。名實耦，合也。志行，為也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e聞：或告之，傳也；身觀焉，親也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e見：時者，體也；二者，盡也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e古：兵立反中、志工，正也；臧之為，宜也：非彼必不有，必也。聖者用而勿必，必也者可勿疑。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e仗者，兩而勿偏。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e為：早臺，存也。病，亡也。買鬻，易也。霄盡，蕩也。順長，治也。鼃買，化也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e同：二名一實，重同也。不外於兼，體同也。俱處於室，合同也。有以同，類同也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e異：二必異，二也。不連屬，不體也。不同所，不合也。不有同，不類也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e同異交得：於福家良恕，有無也。比度，多少也。免軔還園，去就也。鳥折用桐，堅柔也。劍尤早，死生也。處室子子母，長少也。兩絕勝，白黑也。中央旁也。論、行行行、學、實，是非也。難宿，成未也。兄弟，俱適也。身處志往，存亡也。霍，為姓故也。賈宜，貴賤也。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e諾：超、城、員、止也。相從、相去、先知、是、可，五色。長短、前後、輕重援。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e執服難。成言務成之，九則求執之。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e法：法取同，觀巧傳。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e法：取此擇彼，問故觀宜。以人之有黑者有不黑者也，止黑人，與以有愛於人有不愛於人，心愛人，是孰宜？\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e心：彼舉然者，以為此其然也，則舉不然者而問之。\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e若聖人有非而不非。正五諾，皆人於知有說；過五諾，若員，無直無說；用五諾，若自然矣。\u003c/p\u003e\n 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