Mojing Xiao Jie

Author: Lei Yidong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Among the Hundred Schools of Thought during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods in China, Mohism and Confucianism were the two most influential. The canonical texts of Mohism are the Mozi, which originally had 71 chapters but later lost some, leaving only 53 chapters today. The four chapters, Jingshang (Upper Canon), Jingxia (Lower Canon), Jingshuo Shang (Upper Explanation), and Jingshuo Xia (Lower Explanation), are commonly referred to as the Mo Jing (Canon of Mohism). Some also include the additional two chapters, Daqu (Major Taking) and Xiaqu (Minor Taking), making a total of six chapters, which are sometimes called the Mo Jing or Mo Bian (Discourse of Mohism). The Mo Jing is a relatively independent part of the Mozi, covering a wide range of topics such as philosophy, logic, sociology, epigraphy, mathematics, geometry, optics, and mechanics, making it incredibly comprehensive! What is even more remarkable is that it contains scientific and technological content that is unparalleled among the Hundred Schools of Thought. Some of its discussions are not only comparable to contemporary Western theories but may even be more advanced! After Qin Shi Huang's (burning of books and burying of scholars), the canonical texts of Mohism were transmitted privately for a long time, with no one to study or correct them, leading to repeated errors in some characters and an accumulation of mistakes. The large number of errors is another reason why the Mo Jing is difficult to read. This book first corrects the errors in the text and matches the Jing (Canon) and Shuo (Explanation) passages, followed by annotations. It is hoped that this will help readers better understand the Mo Jing and the pre-Qin culture of China.