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The Hundred Schools of Thought Only Six were important School of Names ( 名家, míngjiā) Yin-Yang School ( 陰陽家, yīnyángjiā) Confucianism ( 儒家, Rújiā) Taoism ( 道家, Dàojiā) Mohism ( 墨家, mòjiā) Legalism ( 法家, fǎjiā)
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Mohism & Legalism
The End of Feudal China Collapse of Zhou Dynasty
Disintegration of state Social disorder Rise of independent kingdoms
The Hundred Schools of Thought Only Six were important
School of Names (名家 , míngjiā) Yin-Yang School (陰陽家 , yīnyángjiā) Confucianism (儒家 , Rújiā) Taoism (道家 , Dàojiā) Mohism (墨家 , mòjiā) Legalism (法家 , fǎjiā)
Mohism Founded by Mòzǐ (墨子 ) 470–391
Concerned with saving society Rejects appeal to past Rejects partiality
Mohism A principle by which to judge principles:
Does it benefit the country and the people A kind of Utilitarianism Benefits (利 , lì) are simple material goods
Makes the ideal state a bit dull
Mohism Universal Love (兼愛 , jian ai)
‘Impartial Concern’ Passes the Benefit Test, unlike the partial
concern of the Confucians
Mohism Universal Love (兼愛 , jian ai)
When we come to think about the cause of all these calamities, how have they arisen? Have they arisen out of love of others and benefiting others? Of course we should say no. We should say they have arisen out of hate of others and injuring others. If we should classify one by one all those who hate others and injure others, should we find them to be universal in love or partial? Of course we should say they are partial. Now, since partiality against one another is the cause of the major calamities in the empire, then partiality is wrong.
Mz 16.1 (‘Universal Love III’)
Mohism The Will of Heaven
Why pursue good of others? Because Heaven wills it
Heaven will reward and punish accordingly
Mohism The Absolutist State
People have many interests, which may conflict
Mozi said: In the beginning of human life, when there was yet no law and government, the custom was "everybody according to his own idea." … and so arose mutual disapproval among men. … The disorder in the (human) world could be compared to that among birds and beasts.
Mz 11.1
Mohism The Absolutist State
People have many interests, which may conflict A single ruler is needed to stop this disorder
Yet all this disorder was due to the want of a ruler. Therefore (Heaven) chose the virtuous in the world and crowned him emperor.
Mz 11.2
Legalism The School of Law (法家 , fǎjiā )
Justified the modern state
Legalism Hán Fēizi (韩非子 )
280–233
Legalism Han Feizi
Realised times had changed Could no longer rely on
lǐ (礼 , ‘conventions’) to guide the nobles xìng (刑 , ‘punishments’) to rule the commoners
Required a new form of order Found it in fǎ (法 ) : Law, standards, norms
Legalism Human Nature characterized
naturally self-interested Has ‘two handles’ – reward & punishment
In ruling the world one must act in accord with human nature. In human nature there are the feelings of liking and disliking, and hence rewards and punishments are effective.
HFz 48
Legalism Principles of Shāng Yāng (商鞅 , d. 338)
yī mín (一民 ; ‘one people’) Provides for legal equality for all
dìng fǎ (定法 ; ‘fixing the standards’ ) Provides for objectivity of interpretation
Since the officials well know that the people have knowledge of fa and orders … they dare not treat the people contrary to the fa …
Legalism Motivating the Laws
‘the enrichment of the state and the strengthening of its military capacity.’
Diversity of opinion was damaging – ban it. Lack of standards in culture was damaging –
create such standards
Legalism Offices are created hierarchically
There are objective criteria for the performance of each office
Each level applies reward/punishment to the lower level for success/failure to perform
Legalism The Ruler requires
shì (勢 ): authority the power to make his commands be obeyed
shù (術 ): methods the ability to handle his subordinates
fǎ (法 ): law to guarantee impartiality and justice
Legalism Was not forgiven for its atrocities