Mohism and Mencius’ Thought - 2198 Words

Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy Instructor: Masayuki Sato Mid-Term Paper Question 1: Do you think which doctrine was really helpful for saving people from their destitute condition between Mohism and Mencius’ thought, and why? When we put the two philosopher’s thoughts together, we can see one striking commonality. Both of them were against aggressive way and emphasized the importance of caring for the welfare of the state’s people. Ideologies that run in opposite directions also exist between the two thoughts. Eventually, it came down to how their teachings were carried out and their applicability to the lives of the lower class people, which determined which one of them, truly was the more helpful one. Mencius,†¦show more content†¦In retrospect, as subtle and incongruent as certain Mohism principles might seem to be, its core principles and teachings appealed more to the people of that time. The practicality and applicability of Mohism served the people of that time better as they were aimed at changing their circumstances and improving their lives. His criticism of the excesses of the powerful made him a champion among the common people and became a â€Å"voice† for them. Question 2: Try to conjecture the reason that Confucianism has been so dominant for the ongoing two millennia of Chinese society and culture? The Analects, a record of the words, acts and discussions of Chinese philosopher Confucius and his disciples, has been said to be the â€Å"Bible† of the Chinese people. 2000 years on, it is still setting the standards for individual conducts, administration of governments and communities. How has his teachings inspired a way of life that has been so dominant until today? The growth and success of Chinese societies worldwide have bore testament to his teachings. Confucian culture has outperformed others in more ways than one. When people see a correlation between gaining positive results and outcomes, and the practice of his philosophy, the belief grows. As a result of this, people continue to believe and attempt to live by his philosophies, in the hope of attaining the same success. To understand how Confucius could make such a change in China weShow MoreRelatedThe Philosophies Are Confucianism, Mohism And Legalism1497 Words   |  6 Pagesfifth century BC with Confucius and changed and evolved as other philosophers built off Confucian ideas and challenged Confucian ideas. Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi are three different philosophers from Chinese history who have three opposing views in their philosophical ideas of society and human nature. These three philosophies are Confucianism, Mohism and Legalism. 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