The Mohist Canons
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Summary
The Mohist Canon, also known as the Mohist Dialectics, is a core chapter of the Mozi, composed of the 'Canon,' 'Explanation of the Canon,' 'Greater Selection,' and 'Lesser Selection.' It mainly discusses questions of epistemology, logic, and natural science. In logical thought, the Mohist Canon established the logical system of 'names, propositions, and explanations' and proposed the inferential method of 'cause, principle, and kind,' comparable to the syllogism of Western logic, forming one of the world's three major logical systems alongside ancient Greek logic and ancient Indian Hetuvidyā. Its theory of 'disputation' emphasizes the rigor of logical argumentation and has had a profound influence on ancient Chinese modes of thought. In the field of natural science, the Mohist Canon provides a systematic explanation of mechanics, proposing the definition 'force is that which makes form move,' close to the modern concept of mechanics; in optics, it also records in detail phenomena such as pinhole imaging and plane mirror reflection, constructing the world's earliest system of geometrical optics; in geometry, its definitions of concepts such as circle, square, and straight line are also akin to the principles of Euclidean geometry. Therefore, although concise in length, the Mohist Canon broke through the limitation of the pre-Qin thinkers' emphasis on ethics over science and technology with its empirical spirit and rational thinking, becoming a milestone in ancient Chinese scientific thought and still widely esteemed by scholars in China and abroad.
Editor's review
Though brief, the Mojing is a highly unusual text in pre-Qin thought: it shifts the focus from ethics and politics to epistemology, logic, and the study of nature. Its system of "names, statements, and explanations" and its method of reasoning by "cause, principle, and kind" offer readers a solid entry point into the tradition of argumentation in ancient China, while its definitions of force, light, and geometrical concepts show how an empirical spirit can appear in a classical text. This new edition rewards slow, careful reading: it can serve as an inviting introduction to logic and the history of science, and as supplementary reading for courses on Chinese philosophy. Readers should set aside the assumption that the masters are simply purveyors of moral maxims and treat the text as something to be reasoned through and cross-referenced, for only then does the density behind its brevity become apparent.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in the tradition of ancient Chinese logic and disputation
- Popular-science and history enthusiasts curious about pre-Qin natural philosophy
- Students and teachers in philosophy, Chinese, and history of science courses
- Readers who enjoy close reading of short classics and are willing to take notes and work through arguments
Not a good fit for
- Readers looking for light storytelling or popular entertainment
- Those who want to read straight through quickly without working through annotations
- Readers interested only in pre-Qin ethical and political thought
Reading tips
- Begin with the paired entries of the Jing and Jing Shuo, then return to the framework of "names, propositions, and explanations."
- Keep pen and paper ready and rewrite the examples of "cause, principle, and kind" reasoning in modern argument form for easier comparison.
- Read the optics and mechanics entries alongside simple diagrams to lower the threshold of classical terminology.
- Read only three to five entries at a time, then restate the definitions and arguments in your own words; avoid trying to cover too much too fast.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 经
- （上）
- （下）
- 经说
- （上）
- （下）
- 大取
- 小取
FAQ
What is the relationship between The Mohist Canon and the Mozi?
The Mohist Canon, also known as the Mohist Dialectics, is a core section of the Mozi, made up of the Jing, the Jing Shuo, and the Da Qu and Xiao Qu. It is not a separate book outside the Mozi but the part that concentrates on epistemology, logic, and natural science; read it in the context of the Mozi as a whole.
Can I read The Mohist Canon without a background in logic?
Yes, but it takes patience. The terms "names, propositions, and explanations" and "cause, principle, and kind" are phrased in classical terminology; first use the annotations to grasp the basic concepts, then work through the examples one by one. You need not know Western logic beforehand, but a willingness to compare and take notes will make it noticeably easier.
What background do readers need for the natural-science content?
The mechanics, optics, and geometry entries belong to the history of ancient science and suit general readers interested in that history as well as students using the book as supplementary reading. The content consists mainly of definitions and records of phenomena and requires no modern mathematical training, though diagrams and annotations will make it smoother.
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About the author
墨翟
Author
Mo Di, known as Mozi, was an important thinker and the founder of a school of thought in pre-Qin China. Publicly available information about his life and nationality is limited, and his birth and death years are not precisely established. The library contains five related works, including the Mozi, the Mojing, and several editions intended for the study of Chinese classics. These works reflect the Mohist focus on social order, ethical practice, and logical argumentation: they set out doctrines such as universal love and opposition to aggression, and preserve fragments of ancient knowledge in logic, geometry, and optics. The style is plain and argument-driven, making use of concrete examples. Mozi's thought has had a lasting influence on later intellectual and scholarly history, and the related texts remain important reading for the study of pre-Qin philosophy and culture, commonly classified under Eastern philosophy, history, and biography.
