What's the connection between Taoism and Mohism?
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Taoism and Mohism
Taoism has a long history of absorbing the thoughts of Mohism. Mohism advocates respecting heaven, believing in ghosts, universal love, and non-aggression, and has a strict organizational structure. Its founder was Mozi (approximately 480 - 420 BC), whose name was Di. "The Will of Heaven" and "Believing in Ghosts" are chapters in the book "Mozi". The main members of its organization were handicraftsmen and peasants, and its leader was called "Juzi". Many of the Mohists were chivalrous. The "heaven" mentioned by Mohism refers to the supreme god with a will that can reward good and punish evil. It was believed that if the Son of Heaven did good deeds beneficial to the common people, "heaven" would reward him; if the Son of Heaven did things harmful to the country and the common people, "heaven" would punish him. Therefore, one should act in accordance with the "will of heaven". To act according to the will of heaven, one should practice universal love and non-aggression. Among the various schools of thought in the pre-Qin period, Mohism attached the greatest importance to technology. In their practical activities, they were involved in smelting, medicine, health preservation, and religious arts. For this reason, in the subsequent development process, quite a number of Mohist followers naturally became fangxian (immortalists who practiced various esoteric arts), and many fangshi (alchemists or practitioners of strange arts) in later generations claimed to come from Mohism.
The ideas of respecting heaven, believing in ghosts, universal love, and mutual assistance in Mohism were all absorbed by Taoism. In particular, the strict organizational nature of Mohism had the greatest impact on Taoism. The Mohist school that emerged in the middle of the Warring States Period had actually formed a folk organization that combined religious beliefs, political stances, a common economic relationship, and had a strict organization, strict discipline, and its own moral code, integrating politics and religion. Taoism and the Mohist school have an inseparable relationship both in terms of ideology and style.
Taoism has a long history of absorbing the thoughts of Mohism. Mohism advocates respecting heaven, believing in ghosts, universal love, and non-aggression, and has a strict organizational structure. Its founder was Mozi (approximately 480 - 420 BC), whose name was Di. "The Will of Heaven" and "Believing in Ghosts" are chapters in the book "Mozi". The main members of its organization were handicraftsmen and peasants, and its leader was called "Juzi". Many of the Mohists were chivalrous. The "heaven" mentioned by Mohism refers to the supreme god with a will that can reward good and punish evil. It was believed that if the Son of Heaven did good deeds beneficial to the common people, "heaven" would reward him; if the Son of Heaven did things harmful to the country and the common people, "heaven" would punish him. Therefore, one should act in accordance with the "will of heaven". To act according to the will of heaven, one should practice universal love and non-aggression. Among the various schools of thought in the pre-Qin period, Mohism attached the greatest importance to technology. In their practical activities, they were involved in smelting, medicine, health preservation, and religious arts. For this reason, in the subsequent development process, quite a number of Mohist followers naturally became fangxian (immortalists who practiced various esoteric arts), and many fangshi (alchemists or practitioners of strange arts) in later generations claimed to come from Mohism.
The ideas of respecting heaven, believing in ghosts, universal love, and mutual assistance in Mohism were all absorbed by Taoism. In particular, the strict organizational nature of Mohism had the greatest impact on Taoism. The Mohist school that emerged in the middle of the Warring States Period had actually formed a folk organization that combined religious beliefs, political stances, a common economic relationship, and had a strict organization, strict discipline, and its own moral code, integrating politics and religion. Taoism and the Mohist school have an inseparable relationship both in terms of ideology and style.
