Love everyone in the world equally. This idea of wanting everyone to love each other is idealistic, but it is easy to care for the common people at the bottom of society. And the Mohists' "non-offensive" idea of wanting to stop all wars and strife in the world is also in line with the demands of these ordinary people who are struggling to survive in troubled times. As a "martial arts sect", the rules of the Mo family are also extremely strict, and their head is called "Juzi", and all Mo disciples must be absolutely obedient to Juzi. These disciples of the Mo family are like chivalrous men, willing to go to the soup and fire in order to save people and save the country, and they will not hesitate to risk their lives. There was once a story of Mozi making Chu, and the story began when the craftsmen of Chu State lost to the public, which is what we often call Luban. Under the order of the king of Chu, he made siege equipment - cloud ladders, and prepared to use them to attack the Song Kingdom. After Mozi heard the news, he did not hesitate to go through hardships and dangers for this matter that had nothing to do with him, and walked straight for ten days and ten nights before arriving at the capital of Chu State.
The rise of the Mohist school is a product of social change and ideological pluralism during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Founded by Mo Zhai, who was born as a commoner and deeply experienced the suffering and injustice of the people at the bottom of society, he put forward ideas such as "love and love" and "non-aggression" to oppose the Confucian concept of hierarchy and the cruelty of war. Mohists emphasized equality between people, advocated universal love without distinction, opposed unnecessary war and violence, and advocated frugality and pragmatism.
The rise of Mohism was closely related to the social background at that time. During the Warring States period, countries competed for hegemony, wars were frequent, and the people longed for peace and stability. The Mohist idea of "non-offensive" catered to this social need, so it quickly gained widespread support and recognition. Mohist is not only a school of thought, but also a social group with strict organization and strict discipline, and its members are called "Mohists", who follow Mozi's teachings and practice Mohist ideals with practical actions.
The influence of Mohism reached its peak during the Warring States Period, and it was called "Xianxue" along with Confucianism, forming a situation of "non-Confucianism is Mo". The members of the Mohist school not only made achievements in theory, but also made achievements in practice. Mozi himself was a generalist, with in-depth research and practice in mechanical engineering and military defense, and his disciples were also versatile and able to play an important role in their respective fields.
However, the decline of the Mohists was also a complex process. First, some of the Mohist ideas conflicted with the interests of the ruling class. For example, the idea of "love and love" challenged the traditional hierarchical order, while the idea of "non-offensive" ran counter to the reality of the struggle for hegemony during the Warring States period. These ideas, while popular among the people, are unacceptable to the ruling class. Secondly, the organizational structure and discipline requirements of the Mohists were extremely high, which limited its development to a certain extent. Mohist disciples had to be absolutely obedient to the "Juzi", and this strict form of organization seemed incompatible under a unified state regime.
The decline of Mohism does not mean the complete disappearance of its ideas. In later generations, some of the ideas of the Mohists were still inherited and developed to a certain extent. For example, the pragmatism and scientific spirit of the Mohists were reflected in the development of science and technology in ancient China. The chivalrous spirit of the Mohists also left a deep imprint on Chinese culture and influenced the literary and artistic creation of later generations.
In general, the rise and fall of Mohism is the epitome of social change and ideological pluralism during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It reflects the contradictions and needs of the society at that time, and also reflects the tension between ideas and reality. Although Mohists failed to sustain their influence, their ideas and spirit still had a certain influence and value in Chinese culture.
Mohist, as one of the important schools of thought in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, its decline was closely related to a variety of external factors. The core concepts of Mohist Buddhism include "love" and "non-aggression", advocating equal care for all people and opposing unnecessary wars and attacks. However, these ideas were in significant conflict with the expansionist policies of the vassal states of the time, especially in the Qin state, and these Mohist ideas were contrary to the country's unification strategy.
In the process of unifying the six kingdoms, the Qin State adopted a policy of hard military expansion, which formed a sharp opposition to the Mohist idea of "non-offensive". The Mohists opposed unjust wars and advocated the peaceful settlement of disputes, which was particularly anachronistic during the Warring States period, which was dominated by military conquest. In order to consolidate its rule and eliminate ideological dissent, the Qin State severely suppressed the Mohists. After Qin Shi Huang unified the six countries, he implemented the policy of "burning books and pit Confucianism", which dealt a devastating blow to the Mohist classics, many Mohist documents were burned, Mohist scholars were persecuted, and the inheritance of the Mohist school was seriously hindered.
In the Han Dynasty, although the policy of "burning books and pit Confucianism" was no longer continued, Mohist thought did not receive the attention it deserved. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the policy of "deposing the hundred schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone" was implemented, and Confucianism was regarded as the orthodox ideology of the state, while other schools of thought, such as Mohist, were marginalized. Under this policy guidance, Mohist thought lacked sufficient space for development, its influence gradually weakened, and the decline of Mohist school also accelerated.
In addition, the organizational structure and discipline requirements of the Mohists also had an impact on its decline. As an organized school, the members of the Mohist family must strictly observe discipline and be absolutely obedient to the leader "Juzi". This strict form of organization, in a state of national division, contributed to the unity and development of the Mohists. However, with the unification of the country, this tight organizational structure has become an obstacle to the development of the Mohists, and they are vulnerable to suspicion and suppression by the ruling class.
The decline of the Mohists was the result of a combination of external factors. From Qin Shi Huang's "book burning and pit Confucianism" to the Han Dynasty's exclusive respect for Confucianism, to the strict organizational structure of the Mohists themselves, these factors were intertwined, leading to the gradual decline of the Mohist school. Although the ideas of Mohist thought were not widely recognized and practiced at that time, the concepts of equality and peace advocated by Mohist still have far-reaching historical significance and practical value.