For a certain period of time in ancient China, Mozi was an important figure on a par with Confucius, and was as famous as Confucius. The "Moxue" founded by Mozi is no less influential than the "Confucianism" of Confucius.
To this day, Confucianism is still flourishing, but except for a few people who study literature, history and philosophy, few people talk about "Moxue" anymore.
The main idea of Moxue is "love and love" and "non-attack", because the Mohists originated from the rangers, adhering to the chivalrous spirit, and having the tradition of "sharing blessings and hardships" of folk martial arts groups, which later evolved and expanded into "simultaneous love", that is, everyone should love everyone else without discrimination.
"Non-offensive" is also established on the basis of "love and love," that is, opposing all wars of aggression. Of course, this kind of thinking must also be related to the social turmoil, frequent wars, and the people's desire for stability and peace at that time.
"Love" requires everyone to love all people without distinction. To be honest, such moral requirements are too high.
Most people's love is secondary: relatives are the most important people;Ordinary relatives and friends are the next most important people;As for strangers, of course, we can have compassion and kindness, but to love them like relatives, it is really impossible for concubines to do it!
Compared with the Mohist "concurrent love", the Confucian "benevolence" seems to be more humane.
What is benevolence?As long as there are two people, "benevolence" is the best way to have a relationship between them.
"Benevolence" is the most essential power of life, peanut kernels, walnut kernels, almonds ......They are all "benevolence", which were originally two-petaled, but when they are combined into one, they can sprout and grow.
Confucianism's "benevolence" also means to love others, but Confucianism says that "the old and the old, the young and the young", which means pushing oneself and others;He also said, "A gentleman is to things, and love is benevolent."For the people, benevolence and affection. Kiss and benevolent people, benevolent people and love things. That is, people's emotions are hierarchical, they are dear to their relatives, they are benevolent to the people, and they are not benevolent to things, at most they are loved and cherished.
Confucius's own interpretation of "benevolence" is "self-denial and retribution for benevolence", which means that it is benevolence to restrain oneself and be courteous to others. You see, he didn't make "benevolence" extremely lofty, and he didn't raise "benevolence" to a height that ordinary people simply can't reach.
In order to promote his concept of "simultaneous love", Mozi put forward a theory of "for the other as for himself", saying that "if the husband loves others, people will love them."He who benefits others, he will benefit from them", that is, love for others will be repaid.
However, it is a very long and difficult process for each individual to finally achieve the great love of a region and a society, even if it is a small-scale undifferentiated mutual love, just like a long-term investment with no time to see for repayment.
And there are many examples that show that it is not at all that love is repaid.
On the contrary, "love" originally had an aura, but Mozi's theory buried "love" in the mud of utilitarianism.
The Confucian "benevolence", from a personal point of view, stresses dedication, does not reciprocate, and has a strong altruistic spirit.
In order to induce people to "love each other", Mozi also introduced religious sanctions, saying that the Emperor of Heaven loves people, and the will of the Emperor of Heaven is to ask people to love each other, and the Emperor of Heaven will monitor people's behavior, bring disasters to those who violate the will of Heaven, and reward those who obey the will of Heaven.
This statement is somewhat similar to what is taught: God loves the world, and Jesus asks all people to love one another......However, Mohism was founded in China during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, that is, in 770 BC and 221 BC;The religion originated in Palestine under the rule of the Roman Empire in the first century AD, with a difference of at least a few hundred years in between.
It is not known whether there was any cultural transmission during this period, or whether there was any cultural flow between the two, or whether it was purely a coincidence.