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Mohism -> Mozi -> Book 12 -> Gong Meng -> 14

墨子程子Mozi said to Chengzi:
天下 In the teaching of the Confucianists there are four principles sufficient to ruin the empire:
The Confucianists hold Heaven is unintelligent,
and the ghosts are inanimate.
Heaven and spirits are displeased.
天下 This is sufficient to ruin the world.
Again they (practise) elaborate funerals and extended mourning.
They use several inner and outer coffins,
and many pieces of shrouds.
The funeral procession looks like house-moving.
Crying and weeping last three years.
They cannot stand up without support
and cannot walk without a cane.
Their ears cannot hear
and their eyes cannot see.
天下 This is sufficient to ruin the world.
And they play the string instruments and dance
and sing and practise songs and music.
天下 This is sufficient to ruin the empire.
And, finally, they suppose there is fate
and that poverty or wealth, old age or untimely death,
order or chaos, security or danger, are all predetermined
and cannot be altered.
Applying this belief, those in authority,
of course, will not attend to government
and those below will not attend to work.
天下。」Again, this is sufficient to ruin the world.
程子 Chengzi said:
先生。」"Sir, you are accusing the Confucianists of too much."
墨子 Mozi said:
If the Confucianists hold nothing like these four principles
and yet I say they do
then it is false accusation.
Now that the Confucianists do hold these four principles
and I say so,
then it is not accusation,
。」 but information.
程子 Chengzi had nothing more to say and went out.
墨子:「!」Mozi called him back.
After being seated he continued:
先生"What you, sir, have just said is not without fault.
先生For according to what you have said,
there will be no praise of Yu
。」or blame of Jie and Zhou."
墨子Mozi replied:
Not at all.
You are only cleverly criticizing me according to traditional notions.
When attack is heavy defence must be strong.
When attack is light defence must be light.
To criticize according to traditional notions
。」is similar to trying to kill a moth with a thill.


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