Mozi Quotes
Mozi, also known as Mo Di or Master Mo, was a Chinese philosopher of the 5th century BC, founder of the Mohist school of philosophy, the major rival of early Confucianism during the Warring States period. His teaching, recorded in the book that bears his name, defended the doctrine of impartial care, holding that one should care for all people equally and without partiality, against the Confucian emphasis on differentiated duties to family and rulers. The quotes below are attributed to Mozi, organized by topic.
Mozi on Love
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Attributed to Mozi:
“Universal love and mutual benefit produce order; partial love and mutual hatred produce disorder.”
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Attributed to Mozi:
“If everyone in the world will love universally, states not attacking one another and houses not disturbing one another, would this be a calamity?”
Mozi on Politics
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Attributed to Mozi:
“When everyone regards the states of others as he regards his own, who will attack the others?”
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Attributed to Mozi:
“The benefit of the people is the standard.”
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Attributed to Mozi:
“Music is delightful, but it cannot feed the hungry or clothe the cold.”
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Attributed to Mozi:
“To kill one man is to be guilty of a capital crime; to kill ten men is to increase the guilt tenfold; to kill a hundred men is to increase it a hundredfold. But to kill ten thousand men in war is called righteousness.”
Mozi on Virtue
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Attributed to Mozi:
“It is the business of the benevolent man to seek to promote what is beneficial to the world and to eliminate what is harmful.”