'Where there is universality, those living in large states don't attack small states, those living in large houses don't bring disorder to small houses, the strong don't oppress the weak' Written in China in the fifth century BC, The Book of Master Mo is a hugely influential collection of philosophical writing, intended to deal with the turbulence of the Warring States period. From encouraging universal love to condemning excess at funerals, the essays describe how to maintain peace and harmony, but as an expert in defensive warfare Mo Zi also wrote fascinating technical tips for defending a city, including methods for the identification of spies and how to stockpile food. As one of the first examples of using systematic argument in conceptual debate, The Book of Master Mo represents a groundbreaking shift in Chinese philosophy. Translated, edited and with an introduction by Ian Johnston

A key work of ancient Chinese philosophy is brought back to life in Ian Johnston's compelling and definitive translation, new to Penguin Classics. Very little is known about Master Mo, or the school he founded. However, the book containing his philosphical ideas has survived centuries of neglect and is today recognised as a fundamental work of ancient Chinese philosophy. The book contains sections explaining the ten key doctrines of Mohism; lively dialogues between Master Mo and his followers; discussion of ancient warfare; and an extraordinary series of chapters that include the first examples of logic, dialectics and epistemology in Chinese philosophy. The ideas discussed in The Book of Master Mo - ethics, anti-imperalism, and a political hierarchy based on merit - remain as relevant as ever, and the work is vital to understanding ancient Chinese philosophy. Translator Ian Johnston has an MA in Latin, a PhD in Greek and a PhD in Chinese, and was Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Sydney University until his retirement. He has published translations of Galen's medical writings, early Chinese poetry (Singing of Scented Grass and Waiting for the Owl), and early Chinese philosophical works (the Mozi and - with Wang Ping - the Daxue and Zhongyong). In 2011 he was awarded the NSW Premier's Prize and the PEN medallion for translation. Unlike previous translations, this version includes the complete text. It also includes an introduction and explanatory end notes. 'A landmark endeavour' Asia Times 'A magnificent and valuable achievement' Journal of Chinese Studies 'Eminently readable and at the same time remarkably accurate...Johnston's work will be the standard for a long time' China Review International 'Compelling and engaging reading...while at the same time preserving the diction and rhetorical style of the original Chinese' New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies

An English translation of the complete work and the first bilingual version in any European language. It is one of the small number of key texts surviving from the first flowering of Chinese philosophy during the Warring States period.

The thoughts and writings of this important fifth century B.C. political and social thinker -- and formidable rival of the Confucianists -- are presented here in English translation.

Set alongside The Analects and Mencius, these two texts make up the 'Four Books' of Chinese Confucian tradition. Their depiction of the 'Way of Great Learning' focuses on the moral tenets of Confucian thinking, establishing a universal framework that links individuals with the cosmos. By drawing together key ethical and philophical, and metaphysical issues, the essays deal with the individual's development of moral character. They have long occupied a central position in the educational and political infrastructure of China, Korea and Japan, and their influence and popularity continues to grow, in the East and in the West.

Mohism was an ancient Chinese philosophical movement founded in the fifth century BCE by the charismatic artisan Mòzi, or "Master Mo." Its practitioners advanced a consequentialist ethics, along with fascinating political, logical, and epistemological theories, that set the terms of philosophical argumentation and reflection in China for generations to come. Mohism faded away in the imperial era, leaving the impression that it was not as vital as other Chinese philosophical traditions, yet a complete understanding of Confucianism or Daoism is impossible without appreciating the seminal contribution of Mohist thought. The Philosophy of the Mòzi is an extensive study of Mohism, situating the movement's rise and decline within Chinese history. The book also emphasizes Mohism's relevance to modern systems of thought. Mohism anticipated Western utilitarianism by more than two thousand years. Its political theory is the earliest to outline a just war doctrine and locate the origins of government in a state of nature. Its epistemology, logic, and psychology provide compelling alternatives to contemporary Western mentalism. More than a straightforward account of Mohist principles and practice, this volume immerses readers in the Mohist mindset and clarifies its underpinning of Chinese philosophical discourse.