• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.137
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• pp.409-438
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• 2016

The movie, Battle of Wits which is based on the cartoon by Morihideki(森秀樹) is directed by Zhang Zhiliang(張之亮), a director from Hong Kong. Morihideki's cartoon is based on the novel by Sakemikenichi(酒見賢一). The movie represents a successful one-source multi-use case. Battle of wits, which deals with the Mozi's propaganda against war, presents the thought of Mozi School(墨家) in spring, autumn, and warring states. The movie criticizes aggressive war by powerful nations. Aggressive war is an extreme form of brutality and worthless action without any benefit. Aggressive war represents 'never each love(buxiangai, 不相愛)' and 'never each benefit(buxiangli, 不相利)' as understood by Mozi. The main character of the movie endeavors and successfully defends the enemy's attack as Mozi did. It is due to the propaganda of Mozi School 'not to attack(feigong, 非攻)' that they can defend themselves from the attack from a powerful nation. It means that 'the universal love(jianai, 兼愛)', the ideology of Mozi, is concretely actualized. The philosophy of Mozi School in the Battle of Wits has its limits as follows: the thought of Mozi School is just suitable during times of war and unnecessary in times of peace, the contradiction between universal love and hatred for one person; the Mozi School's faith in the nature of human beings to confront betrayal. This limit was also proposed in the movie. However, the movie presented how the masculinity of Mozi School, supplemented by the feminity of Daojia(道家), can succeed in achieving genuine communication. When focusing on this point, the movie can be interpreted as biased towards the philosophy of Daojia.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.67
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• pp.297-325
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• 2017

In this paper, the ideological features of Mohism were examined through the analysis into the viewpoint of Mohism on justice and benefit and "universal love" based on it. Even before the viewpoint on justice and benefit became a main agenda in Confucianism, Mohism and the Hundred Schools of Thought, there had been discussions on it, and the relation between "justice" and "benefit" was generally understood as that of means and ends(本末) or that of the thing and its functions(體用). What succeeded to this tendency and set it as an individual's moral standard was the viewpoint of Confucianism including Confucius. Of course, the Confucian view was focused on the politicians or leaders of those times. Compared to which, Mohism represented the stance of their group members and pursued the interest of groups and the society rather than that of individuals. Accordingly, while Confucianism considered "justice" more important than "benefit", Mohism could understand both of them unificatively. The crucial reason why Mohism could be most active during the Warring States Period is that it had its metaphysical basis on "the disposition of Providence." Accompanying this, the viewpoint of Mohism on justice and benefit was internally reflected in its key arguments including "universal love." That is so-called "Jianxiangai, Jiaoxiangli", that is to say, "that loving each other is namely benefiting each other." On the other hand, the fact that the viewpoint of Mohism on justice and benefit, and furthermore, the ideological foundation of its ten main arguments including universal love was "the disposition of Providence" became a double-edged sword. It was because it could be easily accepted by the laborers, farmers, and craftsmen consisting of Mohism of those times, but it instead became the reason for falling into ruins since the establishment of the feudal empire of Qin and Han(秦漢). In the feudal empire, the ideology and activities of Mohism as an individual group couldn't be embraced. For example, the way to set "Heaven"(the heavenly king) above "the sovereign ruler" might be a decisive limit to the legitimacy and rationality of the regime. Moreover, the arguments by Mohism, such as "Jieyong", "Jiezang", "Feiyue" and others couldn't be taken easily by the privileged class. Therefore, Mohism couldn't do any activities as an academic school until Seojedongjeom(西勢東漸) during the Qing dynasty later, and it was different from Confucianism. In brief, ideas of Mohism including universal love ended up as an utopian idea historically, but the conception of sharing mutual interest along with mutual love and consideration with Confucianism from the position of the relatively disadvantaged in the society has a value worthy of being appreciated even today.