Mozi

During the late Zhou period in China, people were creating theories about life, karma, and most importantly man's connection to nature. Yet, what was really needed by the people were solutions to the problems and disorder that surrounded them at the times. Out of this chaos came four major and different schools of thought that attempted to solve the problems of the time. These were Confucianism, Daoism, the Legalists, and the followers of Mozi. These four had a profound impact on Chinese society at the time and their ideas are still reaching people in the world today. In this sense, Mozi's overall philosophy and layered ideology manifested a newly crafted culture within the confines of Chinese society, bringing to mind that the same philosophy could potentially solve this generations social problems as well.

To understand why Mozi's philosophy is the one that would have the greatest impact on today's society it is important that all the schools of thought and their teachings are explained. Confucius was born into a poor family and in order to help support himself and his mother he became a servant in a noble family. During this time he showed a strong aptitude for study. When he was only twenty two he opened a school that eventually helped him be promoted to the minister of justice by the local ruler. He eventually helped this state achieve a level of prosperity and moral order that had never been seen before. Yet his theories and ideologies did not sit well with the local ruler who eventually removed him from his position. This enabled Confucius' ideals to spread as his disciples as well as himself traveled from state to state in search of a ruler who would listen. The basic principles of Confucianism rest on a complex system of social, political, and moral teachings that Confucius himself created in accordance with ancient Chinese traditions. The idea was that men would be virtuous, educated, and gentlemanly in conduct. He encouraged people to live virtuous lives by preaching that the souls of a person's departed relative were dependent upon the conduct of the living descendants. In order to properly pay tribute to the dead, one must live a virtuous life.

"The Master said, Ð''When a person's father is alive, observe his intentions. After his father is no more, observe his actions. If for three years he does not change his father's ways, he is worthy to be called filial'." (Sources of Chinese Tradition, De Bary and Bloom)

Confucius' foundation for a life of perfect goodness was based on the four virtues of sincerity, benevolence, filial piety, and propriety. The above quote is a perfect example of filial piety. After his death, two prominent followers took his place. One was Mencius whose main principle was that human nature was fundamentally good and that everyone was born with ability to decipher between what is right and what is wrong. Xunzi on the other hand argued that all people were born selfish and that only education and strict ritual would allow them to become moral.

Not long after came Mozi who despised all Confucians and felt that there ideologies were characterized by devotion to empty rituals. Similar to Confucius he cared very much about the government and spent many years attempting to instill his philosophies amongst the ruler. His main premise was that all humans were equal under the eyes of heaven. He said that the only principle that mattered before the eyes of heaven was universal love. All humans must love one another equally. Mozi preached against the practice of what he called partial love. This occurred when a person would take care of only a few people with whom that person was intimately related to. He said that this practice was responsible for many of the sufferings of humans in the world. Mozi stated that when people lived their lives in accordance with heaven that all was peaceful and orderly. Yet when they strayed from the wishes of heaven, the world was thrown into violence and chaos. On page 72 of Sources of Chinese Tradition, it is written that Mozi said that in order for a filial son to have other men love his parents he must first love other men's parents. This was at the heart of Mozi's ideology that men would do unto others what they would have done onto them.

Daoism became major force in ancient China upon its introduction to the