Mohism, associated with Mozi, rests first on the call to universal love or impartial care (jian’ai). Human beings are urged to extend concern beyond family or clan, loving others without partiality and thereby reducing conflict, war, and crime. This ethic of equal regard is not sentimental but rigorously practical: it is meant to create social harmony and tangible benefit for all. Closely linked is the condemnation of offensive warfare (fei gong), which is seen as wasteful, harmful, and morally unjustifiable, with only strictly defensive measures regarded as acceptable. In this vision, peace and mutual protection are not lofty abstractions but concrete political imperatives.

A second major pillar is meritocracy, often expressed as “exalting the worthy” (shang xian). Authority and office are to be granted on the basis of virtue and ability rather than birth, wealth, or hereditary status. Good governance, in this view, depends on selecting those who are both morally upright and practically competent. This meritocratic ideal is reinforced by a broader consequentialist ethic: laws, customs, and institutions are to be judged by whether they promote benefit, increase order, and enhance the welfare of the people. Practices that fail this test, no matter how ancient or prestigious, are to be reformed or discarded.

Mohist teaching also emphasizes frugality and a disciplined use of resources. Elaborate rituals, luxurious living, and especially extravagant funerals are criticized as misuses of labor and wealth that could otherwise relieve poverty and strengthen society. This critique extends to ornate music and ceremonial arts (fei yue), which are rejected when they become costly distractions for rulers and yield no clear benefit to the populace. The ideal is a simple, efficient social order in which material and human resources are carefully conserved and directed toward common good.

Underlying these ethical and political commitments is a distinctive religious and metaphysical orientation. Mohists affirm the “will of Heaven” (tian zhi), portraying Heaven as morally concerned, rewarding the just and punishing the unjust, and desiring universal love and mutual benefit among people. They also reject fatalism (fei ming), denying that a fixed destiny determines wealth, status, or lifespan, and instead encouraging effort, reform, and practical action. Belief in ghosts and spirits who can punish wrongdoing further reinforces moral behavior and social control. Taken together, these principles form a coherent program: impartial care, anti-aggression, merit-based governance, and frugal, Heaven-aligned conduct oriented toward the promotion of benefit and the elimination of harm.