Free A Short History of Chinese Philosophy by Yu-lan Fung Page B
Authors: Yu-lan Fung
Confucius had been divinely appointed to be a king. Soon afterward, however, with the coming of the Chinese Republic, his reputation fell until he came to be regarded as something less than the Teacher, and at present most Chinese would say that he was primarily a teacher, and certainly a great one, but far from being the only teacher.
Confucius, however, was already recognized in his own day as a man of very extensive learning. For example, one of his contemporaries said: "Great indeed is the Master K ung! His learning is so extensive that he cannot be called by a single name." (Analects, IX, 2..) From the quotations given earlier, we may see that he considered himself the inheritor and perpeluator of ancient civilization, and was considered by some of his contemporaries as such. By his work of originating through transmitting, he caused his school to reinterpret the civilization of the age before him. He upheld what he considered to be best in the old, and created a powerful tradition that was followed until very recent years, when, as in Confucius own time, China again came face to face with tremendous economic and social change. In addition, he was China s first teacher. Hence, though historically speaking he was only a teacher, it is perhaps not unreasonable that in later ages he was regarded as the teacher.
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CONFUCIUS, THE FIRST TEACHER
CHAPTER 5
, THE FIRST OPPONENT OF CONFUCIUS
IHE next major philosopher after Confucius was Mo Tzu. His family name was Mo and his personal name was Ti. As the Shih Chi or Historical Records does not say where he came from, and in fact tells us almost nothing about his life, there has been a difference of opinion regarding his native state. Some scholars hold that he was a native of Sung (in what is today eastern Honan and western Shantung), and others that he came from Lu, the same state as Confucius. His exact dates are also uncertain, hut probably he lived sometime within the years 479~38l B.C. The main source for the study of his thought is the book bearing his name, the Mo-tzu, which contains 53 chapters and is a collection of writings by his followers as well as by himself.
Mo Tzu was the founder of a school known after his name as the Mohist school. In ancient times his fame was as great as that of Confucius, and his teaching was no less influential. The contrast between the two men is interesting. Confucius felt a sympathetic understanding for the traditional institutions, rituals, music, and literature of the early Chou dynasty, and tried to rationalize and justify them in ethical terms; Mo Tzu, on the contrary, questioned their validity and usefulness, and tried to replace them with something that was simpler but, in his view, more useful. In short, Confucius was the rationalizer and justifier of the ancient civilization, while Mo Tzu was its critic. Confucius was a refined gentleman, while Mo Tzu was a militant preacher. A major aim of his preaching was to oppose both the traditional institutions and practices, and the theories of Confucius and the Confucian ists.
Social Background of the Mohist School
During the feudal age of the Chou dynasty, kings, princes, and feudal lords all had their military specialists. These were the hereditary warriors who constituted the backbone of the armies of that time.
With the disintegration of feudalism that took place in the latter part of the Chou dynasty, however, these warrior specialists lost their positions and titles, scattered
0 8 0 MO TZU, THE FIRST OPPONENT OF CONFUCIUS
throughout the country, and made a living by offering their services to anyone who could afford to employ them. This class of people was known as the hsieh or yu hsieh, terms which can both be translated as knights—errant. Concerning such knights errant, the Shih Chi says: "Their words were always sincere and trustworthy, and their actions always quick and decisive. They were always true to what they promised, and without regard to their
Confucius, however, was already recognized in his own day as a man of very extensive learning. For example, one of his contemporaries said: "Great indeed is the Master K ung! His learning is so extensive that he cannot be called by a single name." (Analects, IX, 2..) From the quotations given earlier, we may see that he considered himself the inheritor and perpeluator of ancient civilization, and was considered by some of his contemporaries as such. By his work of originating through transmitting, he caused his school to reinterpret the civilization of the age before him. He upheld what he considered to be best in the old, and created a powerful tradition that was followed until very recent years, when, as in Confucius own time, China again came face to face with tremendous economic and social change. In addition, he was China s first teacher. Hence, though historically speaking he was only a teacher, it is perhaps not unreasonable that in later ages he was regarded as the teacher.
078
CONFUCIUS, THE FIRST TEACHER
CHAPTER 5
, THE FIRST OPPONENT OF CONFUCIUS
IHE next major philosopher after Confucius was Mo Tzu. His family name was Mo and his personal name was Ti. As the Shih Chi or Historical Records does not say where he came from, and in fact tells us almost nothing about his life, there has been a difference of opinion regarding his native state. Some scholars hold that he was a native of Sung (in what is today eastern Honan and western Shantung), and others that he came from Lu, the same state as Confucius. His exact dates are also uncertain, hut probably he lived sometime within the years 479~38l B.C. The main source for the study of his thought is the book bearing his name, the Mo-tzu, which contains 53 chapters and is a collection of writings by his followers as well as by himself.
Mo Tzu was the founder of a school known after his name as the Mohist school. In ancient times his fame was as great as that of Confucius, and his teaching was no less influential. The contrast between the two men is interesting. Confucius felt a sympathetic understanding for the traditional institutions, rituals, music, and literature of the early Chou dynasty, and tried to rationalize and justify them in ethical terms; Mo Tzu, on the contrary, questioned their validity and usefulness, and tried to replace them with something that was simpler but, in his view, more useful. In short, Confucius was the rationalizer and justifier of the ancient civilization, while Mo Tzu was its critic. Confucius was a refined gentleman, while Mo Tzu was a militant preacher. A major aim of his preaching was to oppose both the traditional institutions and practices, and the theories of Confucius and the Confucian ists.
Social Background of the Mohist School
During the feudal age of the Chou dynasty, kings, princes, and feudal lords all had their military specialists. These were the hereditary warriors who constituted the backbone of the armies of that time.
With the disintegration of feudalism that took place in the latter part of the Chou dynasty, however, these warrior specialists lost their positions and titles, scattered
0 8 0 MO TZU, THE FIRST OPPONENT OF CONFUCIUS
throughout the country, and made a living by offering their services to anyone who could afford to employ them. This class of people was known as the hsieh or yu hsieh, terms which can both be translated as knights—errant. Concerning such knights errant, the Shih Chi says: "Their words were always sincere and trustworthy, and their actions always quick and decisive. They were always true to what they promised, and without regard to their
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