Who is Yang Zhu 杨朱?

Yang Zhu was a Taoist philosopher in the early Warring States period. He was also known as Yangzi, Yangzi, Yangsheng, and Yangzijū. His main activities took place between 450 BC and 370 BC.

In philosophy, he advocated valuing oneself and cherishing life. "Yangsheng values himself" (from "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals · Bu Ren"). Contrary to the Mohist views of universal love and esteem for the worthy, he advocated the preservation of one's own nature and truth. "Universal love, esteem for the worthy, belief in ghosts, and rejection of fate are what Mozi established, but Yangzi opposed them; preserving one's life and maintaining one's truth, not being burdened by things and harming one's body are what Yangzi established, but Mencius opposed them" (from "Huainanzi · Fanlun Xun"). Starting from the viewpoint of valuing oneself and cherishing life, he did not participate in wars and lived in seclusion in safe areas, showing a tendency to value life over material things. "Suppose there is a person here who, for the sake of righteousness, will not enter a dangerous city, will not stay in the army, and will not exchange a hair on his shank for the greatest benefits of the world. The rulers of the world will surely treat him with courtesy, value his wisdom and praise his conduct, regarding him as a person who values life over material things" (from "Han Feizi · Xianxue"). Yang Zhu was as famous as Mo Di, and his thoughts and remarks had a great influence. "Since the sage-kings no longer appear, the feudal lords act recklessly, and the scholars express their opinions freely. The words of Yang Zhu and Mo Di fill the world. The words in the world either belong to Yang or to Mo" (from "Mencius · Teng Wengong Xia"). "Those who abandon Mohism will surely turn to Yang, and those who abandon Yang will surely turn to Confucianism. We just accept them" (from "Mencius · Jinxin Xia").

In the middle of the Warring States period, the Yang Zhu school was very active. Zhuangzi said to Hui Shi, "The Confucians, Mohists, Yang Zhu, and Gong Sun Long, together with you, make five. Which one is really right?" (from "Zhuangzi · Xu Wugui"). "Bing" was the courtesy name of Gong Sun Long, and "Master" referred to Hui Shi. The five schools of Confucianism, Mohism, the Yang Zhu school, Gong Sun Long, and Hui Shi engaged in debates, but there was no conclusion on who was right and who was wrong. Therefore, Hui Shi said, "Now the Confucians, Mohists, Yang Zhu, and Gong Sun Long are all arguing with me. They refute me with words and suppress me with their voices, but they have not been able to prove that I am wrong" (ibid.). In "Mencius", the Mohist school coexisted with the Yang Zhu school. In "Zhuangzi", besides the mention of Yang and Mo together (as seen in chapters like "Pianmu", "Qieqie", and "Tiandi"), the number of schools debating with the Yang Zhu school kept increasing.

The middle of the Warring States period was the heyday of the development of the Yang Zhu school, and its ideas became the focus of people's attention. Zhuangzi said, "Eliminate the conduct of Zeng Shen and Shi Yu, silence the mouths of Yang Zhu and Mo Di, discard benevolence and righteousness, and then the virtue of the world will begin to be in perfect harmony." "Those like Zeng Shen, Shi Yu, Yang Zhu, Mo Di... all established their virtues externally and confused the world" (from "Zhuangzi · Qieqie"). Yang Zhu was a disciple of Laozi. In politics, he advocated the "doctrine of quietness and following the nature", that is, to implement policies that neither benefit nor harm the people and do not disturb them. He believed that benefiting the world by plucking a hair would instead harm the world, so he would not do such a thing. This was different from the Confucian political view of the unity of the family and the state. Mencius regarded himself as "a disciple of the sages", calling Yang Zhu's theory a "heretical theory" and valuing oneself as "selfishness". He said, "The Yang school is for oneself, which means there is no regard for the ruler; the Mohist school advocates universal love, which means there is no regard for the father. Having no regard for the ruler and the father is like being a beast.... If the ways of Yang and Mo do not cease, the way of Confucius will not be prominent. This is heretical theories misleading the people and blocking the way of benevolence and righteousness" (from "Mencius · Teng Wengong Xia"). "Yangzi pursues self-interest and will not pluck a single hair even if it can benefit the world. Mozi advocates universal love and is willing to sacrifice himself from head to toe to benefit the world" (from "Mencius · Jinxin Shang"). Mencius' words contained more attacks than analysis.