墨家- Mohism

The key to appreciating Mozi's perspective on life was the constantly escalating wars of expansion among the many states of ancient China: aggressive rulers often attacked neighboring states with no discernible regard for the welfare of the inhabitants. Mozi, outraged at such injustices, labored to persuade people to look upon others' interests as being equally important as one's own.

Mo (470 BC – ca. 391 BC) organized his followers into a communal society that was as much an army as a religious order. One of its purposes was actually to provide military aid to states that were under attack

Most Mozi commentators agree upon that the work that goes by his name is noteworthy for its attempts to persuade through arguments; something which can be related to his doctrine is called utilitarianism.

Main topics
1. On the Standards

“The artisans make square objects according to the square, circular objects according to the compasses; they draw straight lines with the carpenter's line and find the perpendicular by a pendulum. All artisans, whether skilled or unskilled, employ these five standards. Only the skilled workers are accurate. Though the unskilled laborers have not attained accuracy, yet they do better by following these standards than otherwise. Thus all artisans follow the standards in their work.”
What then should be taken as the standard in government? Nothing better than following Heaven. Heaven is all-inclusive and impartial in its activities, abundant and unceasing in its blessings, and lasting and untiring in its guidance. And, so, when the sage-kings had accepted Heaven as their standard, they measured every action and enterprise by Heaven. What Heaven desired they would carry out, what Heaven abominated they refrained from. Now, what is it that Heaven desires, and what that it abominates? Certainly Heaven desires to have men benefit and love one another and abominates to have them hate and harm one another. How do we know that Heaven desires to have men love and benefit one another and abominates to have them hate and harm one another? Because it loves and benefits men universally. How do we know that it loves and benefits men universally? Because it claims all and accepts offerings from all.

(法儀 - On the necessity of standards – All English translation: W. P. Mei)

“To obey the will of Heaven is to be universal and to oppose the will of Heaven is to be partial (in love). According to the doctrine of universality righteousness is the standard; in the doctrine of partiality force is the basis of government”.

“Everything is prepared for the good of man”.

(天志 - Will of Heaven)

“Zhi Tu Yu and Xian Zi Shuo asked Mozi: "What is the greatest righteousness in conduct?" Mozi said: It is like the building of a wall. Let those who can lay the bricks lay the bricks, let those who can fill in the mortar fill in the mortar, and let those who can carry up the material carry up the material. Then the wall can be completed. To do righteousness is just like this. Let those who can argue argue, let those who can expound the doctrines expound the doctrines, and let those who can administer, administer. Then righteousness is achieved.”

“Wu Mazi said to Mozi: "Though you love universally the world cannot be said to be benefited; though I do not love (universally) the world cannot be said to be injured. Since neither of us has accomplished anything, what makes you then praise yourself and blame me? Mozi answered: Suppose a conflagration is on. One person is fetching water to extinguish it, and another is holding some fuel to reinforce it. Neither of them has yet accomplished anything, but which one do you value? Wu Mazi answered that he approved of the intention of the person who fetches water and disapproved of the intention of the person who holds fuel. Mozi said: (In the same manner) do I approve of my intention and disapprove of yours”

“Wu Mazi said to Mozi: "For all the righteousness that you do, men do not help you and ghosts do not bless you. Yet you keep on doing it. You must be demented." Mozi said: Suppose you have here two employees. One of them works when he sees you but will not work when he does not see you. The other one works whether he sees you or not. Which of the two would you value? Wu Mazi said that he would value him that worked whether he saw him or not. Mozi then said: Then you are valuing him who is demented”

(耕柱 - Geng Zhu)

2. 尚賢 - Exaltation of the Virtuous

“And, the ancient sage-kings in exalting the virtuous and employing the capable in government were following the ways of Heaven”

(Exaltation of the Virtuous)

3. 尚同 - Identification with the Superior

4. 兼相愛(交相利)- Universal Love (and mutual aid)

"Whoever criticizes others must have something to replace them. Criticism without suggestion is like trying to stop flood with flood and put out fire with fire. It will surely be without worth. Mozi said: Partiality is to be replaced by universality"

"When we try to develop and procure benefits for the world with universal love as our standard, then attentive ears and keen eyes will respond in service to one another, then limbs will be strengthened to work for one another, and those who know the Tao will untiringly instruct others."

(兼愛 - Universal Love)

5. 非攻 - Condemnation of Offensive War

“The murder of one person is called unrighteous and incurs one death penalty; the murder of a hundred persons will be a hundred times as unrighteous and there should be a hundred death penalties, but when it comes to the great unrighteousness of attacking states, the gentlemen of the world do not know that they should condemn it. On the contrary, they applaud it, calling it righteous. Hence we know the gentlemen of the world are confused about the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness.”

(非攻 - Condemnation of Offensive War)

“Mozi said: The blind say that which is bright is white, that which is dark is black. Even the keen-sighted cannot alter this. But if we should mix up the black and white objects and let the blind select them they could not do it. Hence the reason that I say the blind do not know white from black does not lie in the matter of definition but in the process of selection. Now, the way the gentlemen of the world define magnanimity even Yu and Tang cannot alter. But when we mix up magnanimous conduct with unmagnanimous conduct and let the gentlemen of the world choose them they do not know which is which. So, the reason that I say the gentlemen of the world do not know magnanimity does not lie in the matter of definition either; it also lies in the process of selection”

(Esteem for Righteousness)

6. 節用 - Economy of Expenditures

Mohism evolved at about the same time as Confucianism, Taoism and Legalism and was one of the four main philosophic schools during the Spring and Autumn Period (from 770 BCE to 480 BCE) and the Warring States Period (from 479 BCE to 221 BCE). During that time, Mohism (墨 Mo) was seen as a major rival to Confucianism (儒 Ru). The Qin dynasty, which united China in 221 BCE, adopted Legalism as the official government philosophy and suppressed all other philosophic schools. The Han dynasty that followed adopted Confucianism as the official state philosophy, as did most other successive dynasties, and Mohism all but disappeared as a separate school of thought. Mohist books were later merged into Taoist canon.