Mo Di, the founder of Mohism,
(c. 468 ?76 B.C.), also called Mo Zi, lived in
the State of Song during the Spring and Autumn
Period. He first followed Confucianism, but he
disliked its elaborate rites so he founded a new
school. He advocated arduous practice and
obedience to disciplines so that “the starved
are fed, the poor are clothed, workers get rest,
and disorder is controlled.?nbsp;
Mohist thought
and practice
reflected the
people’s urgent
demand for food
and clothing in
the social
turbulence of the
time. Mo Di said:
“The five cereals
are what the
people rely on
and what the
emperor wants to
grow. Therefore,
if there is
nothing the
people rely on,
there is nothing
the emperor wants
to grow.?He also
said: “Food is
the treasure of
the nation.?
Mo Zi said: “Why
does a farmer
leave home early
and return late
instead of being
idle, farming and
gardening
diligently to
accumulate more
grain and beans?
The answer is: If
he works hard, he
is sure to get
rich; if he does
not work hard, he
is sure to get
poor; if he works
hard, he is sure
to get fed; if he
does nor work
hard, he is sure
to starve. So he
dares not be
idle.?
Driven by their
need for food,
people had to work
hard. However,
because of heavy
exploitation,
“People have
insufficient
property, and
countless people
have died of cold
and hunger.?Mo Zi
called for
“eliminating
unnecessary
expenditures,?and
being moderate in
food and drink. He
said the rulers
“extort heavy taxes
on the common
people and eat
beef, mutton, pork,
chicken, steamed
turtle, and roasted
fish. A hundred
utensils are used
in the big states,
and 10 utensils in
the small states.
Delicious dishes
are so numerous in
a square Zhang (a
little more than
100 square feet)
that it is
impossible for the
eyes to see, the
hands to touch, or
the mouth to taste
all of them. In
winter they freeze,
in summer they rot.
The emperor eats
like this, so do
his attendants. The
wealthy live in
luxury and the poor
are cold and
starved. Although
you want no
trouble, it is
impossible. If Your
Majesty really
wants peace in the
land, you must
practice frugality
in your food.?
When the king was
extravagant, his
attendants were
likewise, causing
great waste
because a person
can only eat a
limited amount.
When delicious
foods were spread
over a square
Zhang, it was
merely for show
and had no actual
meaning. Mo Zi
stressed the
relationship
between diet and
health and was
against pursuing
delicacies; it
was enough if
food could
“replenish my
energy and vigor,
strengthen my
muscles, and
sharpen my eyes
and ears.?His
ideal daily diet
for the king was
“either millet or
broomcorn, and
either a thick
soup or a big
piece of meat.?In
other words, one
dish of staple
food and one dish
of non-staple
food. The
dinnerware should
be simple
pottery. All this
reflected the
Mohist school’s
wish for simple
living, but it
could not be
achieved in
reality.
More on Chinese
food and health
building:
Taoist Philosophy of Health Building
Confucian Philosophy on Health Building
Buddhist
Philosophy on Health Building
