Chapter 534: Can Mohism and Confucianism cooperate? You must be kidding!

Chapter 534: Can Mohism and Confucianism cooperate? You must be kidding!

There is a significant flaw in Mohist doctrine: it does not conform to the interests of the rulers at the time. For this reason, although the Mohists made great achievements in defending the city at the end of the Warring States Period, they were often the first group to be expelled from the city after the city was defended.

As for the policy of "abolishing all schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone" later implemented by Emperor Wu of Han, the more critical factor was that this approach highly catered to the interests of the rulers.

It is undeniable that Confucianism does have its merits, but the core reason why it can be widely inherited and continued to later generations is that under the political structure of the feudal dynasty, Confucianism found an environment and conditions suitable for its own development and growth, thus having fertile soil for its survival.

At this moment, Gao Yao, who was originally lost in thought, suddenly had an idea. He raised his head abruptly and asked anxiously, "Yu Shu, you just mentioned Mohism and Confucianism... Then, are there any Confucian students in the newly established academy in the city?"

"Yes, as far as I know, the person who is the leader of the Confucian school in this academy, if I remember correctly, should be called Fu Nian."

After hearing Gao Yao's words and seeing his strange expression, Yu Shu was puzzled but still answered him in detail.

After hearing Yu Shu's words, Gao Yao's mouth curled up a little. Mohism and Confucianism were teaching together. Isn't this a slap in the face?

The Mohists criticized the Confucians very severely. The two schools did not get along at all. Many of their ideas conflicted with each other, and it was very obvious that the Confucians did not believe in heaven, earth, ghosts and gods, while the Mohists believed in or respected ghosts and gods. The Confucians said, "The Master does not speak of strange things, force, chaos, or gods."

Confucianism has always upheld the traditional concept of lavish burials, especially when parents passed away, children were required to observe a full three-year mourning period. However, Mohists strongly criticized this, accusing Confucianism of wasting precious wealth and energy of the people at the bottom of society.

Gao Yao did not feel that this criticism of Mohism was inappropriate. There is nothing wrong with being filial to one's parents, but the key is whether it should be handled flexibly according to the actual situation. After all, when Mohism first proposed this view, it was in the turbulent era of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. From the perspective of the background at that time, this view was not wrong.

The reason why people in later generations think that Mohism seems a bit cold and inhuman is actually very simple - the education people receive has long been deeply imprinted with the shadow of Confucianism. It is precisely because of this preconceived influence that many people find it difficult to view Mohist ideas objectively and fairly.

Furthermore, if we go back to the specific time when the Mohists proposed to refute the Confucian viewpoint, if ordinary people at the grassroots level at that time really had to strictly abide by the three-year mourning rule, their lives would have been extremely difficult and hard, even if they had not yet fallen into a miserable state of starvation. Therefore, this Confucian idea is essentially not aimed at the general public, and it cannot be effectively applied in the daily lives of ordinary people.

During the Warring States Period, the custom of "three years of mourning" was widely practiced in society. However, in sharp contrast, the Mohist school of thought was opposed to this custom of "elaborate burial" and "long mourning" and advocated "simple burial" and shortened funeral time.

The reason why the Mohists held such a view was to cherish and rationally utilize social wealth. They deeply realized that if the customs of "lavish burials" and "long mourning" were allowed to prevail, it would have a serious negative impact on the entire country. Excessive funeral expenses would inevitably lead to poverty in the national finances, and a large number of laborers devoted to funeral affairs for a long time would also lead to a decrease in population, which would in turn affect various aspects such as agricultural production, and ultimately cause criminal law and government affairs to fall into a state of chaos and disorder.

To this end, Mozi carefully developed a relatively simple and economical burial method. According to his regulations, a paulownia coffin with a thickness of only three inches is sufficient, and the deceased should wear two pieces of clothing when buried. During the funeral procession, people should follow the principle of "crying and crying", expressing grief moderately, but not overly indulging in it. After the burial, the living should quickly return to normal life and continue to devote themselves to labor production.

It must be said that the approach advocated by the Mohists is not fundamentally wrong. It reflects a rational attitude towards life and death and focuses on practical benefits. But unfortunately, such a pragmatic concept is often criticized. This is undoubtedly a major frustration of the Mohists.

In contrast, Confucianism not only attaches great importance to etiquette norms, but also emphasizes the importance of music. Among the "Six Arts" (ritual, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics) that Confucius taught his disciples, "music" occupies a place. "Music" and "ritual" complement each other and play a key role in maintaining the stability of the social hierarchy. Through the influence of music, people can better understand and abide by various etiquette norms, thereby promoting the harmonious and orderly development of social order.

At the same time, music, as an activity and experience that can express emotions on a spiritual level, undoubtedly brings people endless pleasure and enjoyment.

But in ancient society, music was only a form of entertainment enjoyed by the nobility. It was impossible for ordinary people to enjoy music. Ordinary people had no access to music. The Mohist school held a completely different attitude towards music - they fundamentally did not recommend its existence. Although this view is a bit extreme, tracing back to the source, its original intention was not wrong.

When Confucianism talks about the six arts of a gentleman, it has to admit a fact: since its inception, it has excluded ordinary people. In addition, Confucianism firmly believes that the length of a person's life, the amount of wealth, and the rise and fall of a country are all determined by heaven and cannot be changed. This is the widely circulated saying that "life and death are determined by fate, and wealth and honor are determined by heaven."

On the contrary, the Mohists resolutely denied the Confucian concept of "heaven's will" and advocated the theory of "non-fate". They stressed the importance of attaching great importance to and giving full play to human's subjective initiative, encouraging people to move forward courageously, strive for progress, and change their destiny and create the future through unremitting efforts.

Similarly, Confucianism emphasizes name over substance, while Mohism is just the opposite, emphasizing substance over name. They also feel somewhat disdainful of the Confucian concept of heaven, earth, ruler, parents, and teachers. They believe that being close is being close, and that it is wrong to distinguish between inside and outside, or between deep and shallow.

In short, there are too many conflicts between Mohism and Confucianism, which can even be said to be fundamental and ideological. Even if Mohism is divided, these core points will not change after all. And now, the two families have come together and opened an academy. From this point of view alone, Li Yi is already unbelievable and even suspects that there must be something wrong.