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.
Browse Mozi by topic
Mozi on Knowledge
-
“Book 1; Befriending the Learned”
If one does not preserve the learned in a state he will be injuring the state ; if one is not zealous (to recommend) the virtuous upon seeing one, he will be neglecting the ruler. Enthusiasm is to be shown only to the virtuous, and plans for the country are only to be shared with the learned. Few are those, who, neglecting the virtuous and slighting the learned, could still maintain the existence -
“To accomplish anything whatsoever one must have standards. None have yet accomplished anything without them.”
Book 1; On the necessity of standards -
“Book 1; On the necessity of standards”
To accomplish anything whatsoever one must have standards. None have yet accomplished anything without them. -
“Book 1; On the necessity of standards”
All states in the world , large or small, are cities of Heaven , and all people, young or old, honourable or humble, are its subjects ; for they all graze oxen and sheep, feed dogs and pigs, and prepare clean wine and cakes to sacrifice to Heaven. Does this not mean that Heaven claims all and accepts offerings from all? Since Heaven does claim all and accepts offerings from all, what then can make -
“The words of malicious slander should not be allowed to enter the ear. A defensive voice should not be allowed to come out of the mouth. The want to gravely injure people should not be allowed to exist in the heart. If this is accomplished, though there be people who cynically expose others, they would be without people who would align with them.”
Book 1; Self-culfivation -
“Book 1; Self-culfivation”
The words of malicious slander should not be allowed to enter the ear. A defensive voice should not be allowed to come out of the mouth. The want to gravely injure people should not be allowed to exist in the heart. If this is accomplished, though there be people who cynically expose others, they would be without people who would align with them. -
“The wise man who has charge of governing the empire should know the cause of disorder before he can put it in order. Unless he knows its cause, he cannot regulate it.”
Mozi | Book 4; Universal Love I
Mozi on Love
-
Attributed to Mozi:
“Universal love and mutual benefit produce order; partial love and mutual hatred produce disorder.”
-
“If everyone in the world will love universally, states not attacking one another and houses not disturbing one another, would this be a calamity?”
Book 4; Universal Love I -
“Suppose we try to locate the cause of disorder, we shall find it lies in the want of mutual love.”
Mozi | Book 4; Universal Love I
Mozi on Politics
-
Attributed to Mozi:
“When everyone regards the states of others as he regards his own, who will attack the others?”
-
Attributed to Mozi:
“The benefit of the people is the standard.”
-
Attributed to Mozi:
“Music is delightful, but it cannot feed the hungry or clothe the cold.”
-
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.”
-
“If one does not preserve the learned in a state he will be injuring the state ; if one is not zealous (to recommend) the virtuous upon seeing one, he will be neglecting the ruler. Enthusiasm is to be shown only to the virtuous, and plans for the country are only to be shared with the learned. Few are those, who, neglecting the virtuous and slighting the learned, could still maintain the existence of their countries.”
Book 1; Befriending the Learned | Variant translation: To enter upon rulership of a country but not preserve its scholars will result in the downfall of the country. To see the worthy but not hasten to them will make the country's ruler less able to perform his duties. To the unworthy is due no attention. The ignorant should remain without inclusion in the state's affairs. To impede the virtuous a -
“Variant translation: To enter upon rulership of a country but not preserve its scholars will result in the downfall of the country. To see the worthy but not hasten to them will make the country's ruler less able to perform his duties. To the unworthy is due no attention. The ignorant should remain without inclusion in the state's affairs. To impede the virtuous and neglect the scholarly and still maintain the survival of the state has yet to be, indeed.”
If one does not preserve the learned in a state he will be injuring the state ; if one is not zealous (to recommend) the virtuous upon seeing one, he will be neglecting the ruler. Enthusiasm is to be shown only to the virtuous, and plans for the country are only to be shared with the learned. Few are those, who, neglecting the virtuous and slighting the learned, could still maintain the existence
Mozi on Virtue
-
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.”
-
“The virtuous who are prosperous must be exalted, and the virtuous who are not prosperous must be exalted too.”
Book 2; Exaltation of the Virtuous I -
“Book 2; Exaltation of the Virtuous I”
The virtuous who are prosperous must be exalted, and the virtuous who are not prosperous must be exalted too.