An Exceptional Portrait of Yang Zhu and Mozi
This paper examines the coupling in early texts of two masters, Yang Zhu 楊朱 and Mo Di 墨翟. The two thinkers are most famously paired in the Mencius as the prominent preachers of extreme doctrines, while they are also sometimes presented in other early texts such as the Zhuangzi and Han Feizi as usel...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani)
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Asian Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/9382 |
| _version_ | 1797949937058578432 |
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| author | Yao-Cheng Chang |
| author_facet | Yao-Cheng Chang |
| author_sort | Yao-Cheng Chang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This paper examines the coupling in early texts of two masters, Yang Zhu 楊朱 and Mo Di 墨翟. The two thinkers are most famously paired in the Mencius as the prominent preachers of extreme doctrines, while they are also sometimes presented in other early texts such as the Zhuangzi and Han Feizi as useless debaters on trivial topics. These alternative portrayals of Yang-Mo are usually simplified as a second-rate imitation or repetition of the standard Mencian depiction. The paper argues that such a reading represents a serious misunderstanding of the pre-imperial textual transmission. Unfamiliarity with Yang-Mo as sophists may also be the result of the unconscious acceptance of Mencius’ description. The unconventional portrayal of Yang-Mo, very likely relatively unrelated to Mencius’ portrayal, had its own history in early China. Presented in various contexts, this alternative Yang-Mo image was once circulated in various forms for different intended audiences.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:08:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-21b6fb39e8d64140a1b54c0318e7e988 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2232-5131 2350-4226 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:08:29Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Asian Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-21b6fb39e8d64140a1b54c0318e7e9882023-01-18T09:01:04ZengUniversity of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani)Asian Studies2232-51312350-42262021-01-019110.4312/as.2021.9.1.203-224An Exceptional Portrait of Yang Zhu and MoziYao-Cheng Chang0Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium This paper examines the coupling in early texts of two masters, Yang Zhu 楊朱 and Mo Di 墨翟. The two thinkers are most famously paired in the Mencius as the prominent preachers of extreme doctrines, while they are also sometimes presented in other early texts such as the Zhuangzi and Han Feizi as useless debaters on trivial topics. These alternative portrayals of Yang-Mo are usually simplified as a second-rate imitation or repetition of the standard Mencian depiction. The paper argues that such a reading represents a serious misunderstanding of the pre-imperial textual transmission. Unfamiliarity with Yang-Mo as sophists may also be the result of the unconscious acceptance of Mencius’ description. The unconventional portrayal of Yang-Mo, very likely relatively unrelated to Mencius’ portrayal, had its own history in early China. Presented in various contexts, this alternative Yang-Mo image was once circulated in various forms for different intended audiences. https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/9382Yang-MoYang Zhu and MoziMenciusZhuangziHan Feiziopen textual culture |
| spellingShingle | Yao-Cheng Chang An Exceptional Portrait of Yang Zhu and Mozi Asian Studies Yang-Mo Yang Zhu and Mozi Mencius Zhuangzi Han Feizi open textual culture |
| title | An Exceptional Portrait of Yang Zhu and Mozi |
| title_full | An Exceptional Portrait of Yang Zhu and Mozi |
| title_fullStr | An Exceptional Portrait of Yang Zhu and Mozi |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Exceptional Portrait of Yang Zhu and Mozi |
| title_short | An Exceptional Portrait of Yang Zhu and Mozi |
| title_sort | exceptional portrait of yang zhu and mozi |
| topic | Yang-Mo Yang Zhu and Mozi Mencius Zhuangzi Han Feizi open textual culture |
| url | https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/9382 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yaochengchang anexceptionalportraitofyangzhuandmozi AT yaochengchang exceptionalportraitofyangzhuandmozi |