In Mr. Liang Qichao’s work Laozi, Confucius, Mozi, and Their Schools of Thought, we are privileged to glimpse the profound depth and vast expanse of ancient Chinese philosophy. With his unique insights and a writing style that is both accessible and profound, Mr. Liang interprets the essence of the thoughts of the three great masters—Laozi, Confucius, and Mozi—and their profound influence on subsequent schools of thought. In this book, Mr. Liang not only organizes the philosophical systems of these sages but also connects their wisdom with modern society, demonstrating the vitality of traditional culture in contemporary times.
We must first express our sincere respect for Mr. Liang’s academic contributions. He was not only an outstanding thinker but also a bridge that closely connected ancient wisdom with modern life. The purpose of translating this book is to allow more readers to appreciate Mr. Liang’s deep insights and the unique charm of ancient Chinese philosophy.
During the translation process, we have strived to maintain the academic rigor and linguistic fluency of the original work. For the key and challenging concepts in the book, such as Laozi’s “Tao follows nature”, Confucius’s “Benevolent love for people”, and Mozi’s “Universal love and non-aggression”, we have carefully deliberated and interpreted them to ensure that readers can accurately understand the connotations of these philosophical concepts.
Moreover, we have paid special attention to the humor in the language, hoping to convey profound philosophical ideas while allowing readers to think in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. For example, when discussing Laozi’s “Wu Wei” (non-action), we jokingly refer to it as the “highest form of artful laziness”, which actually emphasizes the importance of complying with natural laws.
Logicality is another significant feature of this translation. Following Mr. Liang’s line of thought, we have systematically organized and compared the thoughts of the three sages, enabling readers to clearly see their similarities, differences, and individual development trajectories. At the same time, we have also paid attention to integrating a modern perspective in the translation, creating a dialogue between ancient philosophy and modern life, enhancing the readability and practicality of the book.
In summary, the translation of Laozi, Confucius, Mozi, and Their Schools of Thought is our tribute to Mr. Liang Qichao and his thoughts, as well as a modern interpretation of ancient Chinese philosophy. We hope that this book can serve as a bridge connecting the past and the future, allowing more readers to gain wisdom and enlightenment through reading.
Learning and Being a Person...........................................................................................1
Part 1 The Philosophy of Laozi.......................................................................................7
Section 1 The Biography of Laozi...................................................................................... 7
Section 2 The Teachings of Laozi.......................................................................................8
Part 2 Confucius.............................................................................................................28
Section 1 The Deeds and Era of Confucius.......................................................................28
Section 2 The Materials for Studying Confucius's Doctrines............................................32
Section 3 The Outline of Confucius's Philosophy.............................................................36
Section 4 Confucius's Philosophical Theory and the I Ching............................................56
Section 5 Confucius's Political Theory and The Spring and Autumn Annals.................... 69
Section 6 Conclusion........................................................................................................ 84
Part 3 The Case of Mozi Preface...................................................................................95
Autobiographical Note......................................................................................................95
Section 1 General Discussion............................................................................................98
Section 2 The Fundamental Concept of Mohist Learning - Universal Love................... 105
Section 3 Mozi's Utilitarianism and His Economic Theory............................................ 110
Section 4 Mozi's Religious Thoughts..............................................................................118
Section 5 The Organizational Method of Mozi's New Society....................................... 125
Section 6 The Practice of the Mohist School.................................................................. 127
Section 7 Mohist Logic and Other Sciences....................................................................132
Section 8 Conclusion...................................................................................................... 163
Part 4 An Overview of the Schools of Thought After Laozi, Confucius, and
Mozi...............................................................................................................................168
Section 1 General Discussion..........................................................................................168
Section 2 The School of Thought Derived from Laozi................................................... 169
Section 3 The School of Thought Derived from Confucius............................................193
Appendix 1 A Brief Introduction to Xunzi's Studies
Appendix 2 Mohists and Other Mohist Schools
Appendix 3 Table of Pre-Qin Philosophers
Part 1 The Philosophy of Laozi.......................................................................................7
Section 1 The Biography of Laozi...................................................................................... 7
Section 2 The Teachings of Laozi.......................................................................................8
Part 2 Confucius.............................................................................................................28
Section 1 The Deeds and Era of Confucius.......................................................................28
Section 2 The Materials for Studying Confucius's Doctrines............................................32
Section 3 The Outline of Confucius's Philosophy.............................................................36
Section 4 Confucius's Philosophical Theory and the I Ching............................................56
Section 5 Confucius's Political Theory and The Spring and Autumn Annals.................... 69
Section 6 Conclusion........................................................................................................ 84
Part 3 The Case of Mozi Preface...................................................................................95
Autobiographical Note......................................................................................................95
Section 1 General Discussion............................................................................................98
Section 2 The Fundamental Concept of Mohist Learning - Universal Love................... 105
Section 3 Mozi's Utilitarianism and His Economic Theory............................................ 110
Section 4 Mozi's Religious Thoughts..............................................................................118
Section 5 The Organizational Method of Mozi's New Society....................................... 125
Section 6 The Practice of the Mohist School.................................................................. 127
Section 7 Mohist Logic and Other Sciences....................................................................132
Section 8 Conclusion...................................................................................................... 163
Part 4 An Overview of the Schools of Thought After Laozi, Confucius, and
Mozi...............................................................................................................................168
Section 1 General Discussion..........................................................................................168
Section 2 The School of Thought Derived from Laozi................................................... 169
Section 3 The School of Thought Derived from Confucius............................................193
Appendix 1 A Brief Introduction to Xunzi's Studies
Appendix 2 Mohists and Other Mohist Schools
Appendix 3 Table of Pre-Qin Philosophers