What this site is
Editorial
This is the complete text of the Mozi in classical Chinese, with English translations where available. The Chinese text is sourced from the ctext.org API. English translations are from W.P. Mei (1929) as published on ctext.org.
Of the original 71 chapters, 18 have been lost. The 53 surviving chapters are presented here. Lost chapters are listed in the table of contents but marked accordingly.
All chapter text on this site is reproduced from the source without modification. Nothing on the chapter pages is written by the site author. Some chapters currently show only Chinese text; English translations are being added.
About the text
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The Mozi is an anthology of writings attributed to Mozi (c. 470–391 BCE) and his followers. It was composed over roughly two centuries during the Warring States period of ancient China.
The text is organized into five parts: the Epitomes (foundational essays), the Core Doctrines (the ten central Mohist theses), the Canons (logic and science), the Dialogues (conversations and anecdotes), and City Defense (treatises on defensive warfare).
Mozi founded the Mohist school, which rivaled Confucianism as one of the most prominent philosophical movements of its era. The Mohists were distinctive: they were not just thinkers but practitioners. They organized as a disciplined community and dispatched members as defensive engineers to aid states under military threat.
Why this design
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Each design choice on this site is drawn from Mohist philosophy—but interpreted as the Mohists themselves would: practically, boldly, and without false austerity.
The Inkstone 硯台
The inkstone is where preparation meets creation—a dark, smooth surface where ink is ground with water before writing begins. The dark header bands and light reading surfaces of this site echo that contrast: stone framing paper, the necessary structure that makes the text possible.
Economy of Expenditures 節用
Mozi argued that resources should be directed fiercely to where they matter. This does not mean nothing—it means everything present must work hard. Every font, every color, every spatial decision serves the reader. Nothing is ornamental; nothing is wasted.
Ink 墨
Mozi’s name literally means “ink.” The palette is built from the four treasures of the Chinese scholar’s studio: ink (text), paper (reading surface), cinnabar (accent, from seal stamps), and bronze (secondary accent, from bamboo-slip fittings).
Bamboo Slips 竹簡
The Mozi was written on bamboo slips bound together—narrow strips read side by side. The bilingual layout echoes this: Chinese and English in parallel columns, separated by a thin vertical line like the cord binding slips together.
Inclusive Care 兼愛
Mozi taught equal concern for all. This site loads fast, reads cleanly on any device, and respects users who prefer reduced motion. The text is what matters; the design gets out of its way.
Functional Motion 非樂
Mozi opposed wasteful court performance, not functional movement. A door hinge moves; a defensive wall bears weight. The gentle scroll reveals help the reader’s eye track the text. The progress bar shows where you are. Motion that serves is Mohist.
Sources & attribution
Editorial
English translation: W.P. Mei, The Ethical and Political Works of Motse (1929).
Chinese text: Chinese Text Project (ctext.org).
If you find errors in the text, please report them by opening an issue on this site’s repository.