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 gra… - Mozi
" "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 us say that it does not desire men to love and benefit one another? Hence those who love and benefit others Heaven will bless. Those who hate and harm others Heaven will curse, for it is said that he who murders the innocent will be visited by misfortune. How else can we explain the fact that men, murdering each other, will be cursed by Heaven? Thus we are certain that Heaven desires to have men love and benefit one another and abominates to have them hate and harm one another
English
Collect this quote
About Mozi
Mozi (; Mòzǐ, also Mo Tzu, latinized as Micius; originally named 墨翟 Mo Di) (c. 470 BC – c. 391 BC) was a Chinese philosopher during the Hundred Schools of Thought era in the early Warring States Period. He founded the school of Mohism and argued strongly against Confucianism and Daoism. Mohism was actively developed and practiced in many states, but fell out of favour when the legalist Qin Dynasty came to power. During that period many Mohist classics were destroyed when Qin Shihuang carried out the burning of books and burying of scholars, and the importance of Mohism further declined when Confucianism became the dominant school of thought during the Han Dynasty.
Also Known As
Alternative Names:
Mocius
•
Mo Tzu
•
Mo Tse
•
Mo Tsu
•
Mo Zi
•
Mo Di
•
Micius
•
墨翟
•
Master Mo
•
Moztsu
•
Motzi
•
Motze
•
Mo Tsi
Related quotes. More quotes will automatically load as you scroll down, or you can use the load more buttons.
Additional quotes by Mozi
If every one in the world will love universally; states not attacking one another; houses not disturbing one another; thieves and robbers becoming extinct; emperor and ministers, fathers and sons, all being affectionate and filial -- if all this comes to pass the world will be orderly. Therefore, how can the wise man who has charge of governing the empire fail to restrain hate and encourage love? So, when there is universal love in the world it will be orderly, and when there is mutual hate in the world it will be disorderly.
The murder of one person is called unrighteous and incurs one death penalty. Following this argument, the murder of ten persons will be ten times as unrighteous and there should be ten death penalties; the murder of a hundred persons will be a hundred times as unrighteous and there should be a hundred death penalties. All the gentlemen of the world know that they should condemn these things, calling them unrighteous. But when it comes to the great unrighteousness of attacking states, they do not know that they should condemn it. On the contrary, they applaud it, calling it righteous.
Works in ChatGPT, Claude, or Any AI
Add semantic quote search to your AI assistant via MCP. One command setup.
When we come to think about the several benefits in regard to their cause, how have they arisen? Have they arisen out of hate of others and injuring others? Of course we should say no. We should say they have arisen out of love of others and benefiting others. If we should classify one by one all those who love others and benefit others, should we find them to be partial or universal? Of course we should say they are universal. Now, since universal love is the cause of the major benefits in the world, therefore Mozi proclaims universal love is right. And, as has already been said, the interest of the magnanimous lies in procuring benefits for the world and eliminating its calamities. Now that we have found out the consequences of universal love to be the major benefits of the world and the consequences of partiality to be the major calamities in the world; this is the reason why Mozi said partiality is wrong and universality is right.
Loading...