Article / What I mean
The title of the novel "Fei Gong", as the name suggests, is an interpretation of Mozi's story - the famous scene where Mozi stopped Chu from invading Song.
Historically, Mozi was a great thinker and actioner who advocated "universal love", "non-aggression" and "advocating the virtuous". He was the earliest, largest, most rigorous and most combative civil organization - Mohism. The first giant.
During the Warring States Period, various schools of thought contended, realism became popular, and the flag of idealism flew. If we divide the two dimensions of "reality" and "ideal", we may say:
Han Fei advocated monarchy Centralization of power, the trinity of "law", "skill" and "power" to end the chaotic world, is a realistic realist.
Yang Zhu has unique ideas and advocates the absolute self-interest of "not plucking out a hair" in order to "not be plucked out". He is an ideal realist.
Mencius advocated benevolent government and lobbied other countries but was abandoned by Gao Xuan. Zhuangzi aspired to be free and happy, and it was difficult for him to help the world by himself. They were both idealists.
Mozi was a realistic idealist. He established the banner of "universal love" and "non-aggression", and advocated shining the brilliance of "idealism"; he was not tolerated by the kings and ministers of various countries, so he established a Mohist organization by himself and his disciples. Put your foot down, help stop the war, and use pragmatic measures based on reality.
In the novel, Mozi is simple and strong:
He is dark. He is Lu Xun's favorite "black beggar" character, just like Dayu ("Managing Water") and Yanzhi Ao Zhe ("Forging Swords"), a member of the "Chinese Backbone" pedigree:
Like a beggar. Thirties. Tall, with a dark face...
He is simple. He was unkempt, and his time was either spent on practicing morality and righteousness, or on preparing to practice morality and righteousness:
He didn’t pack his clothes, and he didn’t bring a hand towel to wash his face. He just tightened his belt and walked to the hall. I got off, put on my straw sandals, put my package on my back, and left without looking back. From the package, there was still hot steam coming out.
"When will sir come back?" Geng Zhuzhu shouted from behind.
"It will take more than twenty days," Mozi replied and just walked away.
He is humble. He was responsible for the safety of the Song Dynasty, but he did not make demands in his self-respecting capacity: In order to save Song Dynasty, he needed dry food for the journey, so he took his disciples to prepare it without asking for it from the Song Dynasty; when he needed rest on the way, he slept on the roadside eaves. Next, he did not ask the Song Dynasty and its people to make proper arrangements:
They just went their own way. After walking for another day and most of the night, I rested and slept under the eaves of a farmhouse until dawn, then got up and started walking again. The straw sandals had been broken into pieces and could no longer be worn. There was still a crotch in the bag and could not be used, so I had to tear off a piece of cloth and wrap my feet.
Crucially, he is strong and pragmatic, does not talk about love and peace, and does not simply export high values. As he told his disciples in the Song Dynasty:
But whether he will listen to me or not is still uncertain. You are still prepared, don't just look at verbal success.
Mozi, with his worn shoes and torn feet and running thousands of miles, obviously did not just go to Gongshu Ban and the King of Chu to talk empty words.
He obviously understood that Gongshu had spent so much effort to create the ladder, a weapon for siege, that the powerful Chu State would use it to invade the weak Song State. To prevent a strong country from invading a weak country, only a weak country could survive the short-term self-improvement. , or external forces intervene to help a weak country become powerful and inviolable.
Therefore, to stop the war, Mozi had to show his strength and demonstrate his strength, proving that he was not just an outsider who upheld justice, but also an "external force capable of upholding justice."
So he did two things:
First, he arranged for his disciples to make equipment to help the Song Dynasty defend the city. He made full preparations first before he had full confidence.
The second is to go to Chu State in person to conduct a sand table simulation exercise to defeat Gongshu, and clearly told Song State that they were so prepared. Only one line and one word could completely shake the opponent's confidence.
"It's all talk but no pretense." What really convinces the other party is not the words "love and peace" on the tongue, but the mace in the hand that is ready to be wielded when saying these words.
When people are weak, they naturally speak softly. Even if they say strong words and correct words, no one takes them seriously, making it even more difficult to listen;
When people are strong, they naturally speak loudly. In middle school writing, reasoning and argumentation Quotations from famous people have to be used to support them, and even if they tell falsehoods and lies, no one dares not to take them seriously or not listen to them.
In the story of the Three Kingdoms, the "empty city strategy" can scare off Sima Yi, and even most readers are convinced that the person who devised this strategy is the incarnation of wisdom with a heavy army - Zhuge Liang.
At the time of Lu Xun, the great powers were clamoring, shouting "peace", "truth" and "justice", and carrying out demonstrations to hit stones with eggs. The actual significance was not great. They had to unite sincerely and accumulate strength. Unfortunately, the powerful were at war with each other. Even surrendering to the enemy, warlords are divided, compradors are running rampant, helping foreigners to abuse domestically, and flattering the enemy's country so that the enemy's territory can advance.
When the Korean War broke out, China warned the U.S. military not to cross the 38th Parallel. Of course, the United Nations forces led by the United States did not take the new China seriously and brazenly crossed the line and even invaded the Yalu River. As a result, they were pushed back south of the 38th parallel by the volunteers.
It was useless to say it at that time, but it would be useful if the Thunder took action; only by saying it and doing it can we establish our authority in one battle.
When it came to the Vietnam War, China once again warned the US military not to cross the 17th parallel, and the US military did not dare to cross the "thunder pool" during the war. With strength in hand, saying "Don't say it unpredictably" will have a deterrent effect.
Considering the current situation and the aggression of the US imperialism, we dare and can say during the talks, "You are not qualified to say in front of the Chinese that you are talking to China from a position of strength." In terms of economic and military , draw red lines in diplomacy and stick to the bottom line so that the United States and the West cannot take advantage. The reason is two words - national strength.
What needs to be said is ultimately backed by strength.
What can protect oneself and persuade others is never "I am kind", but "I am strong".
Only by self-improvement can we achieve "love and peace" without attacking.
What is non-attack? This does not mean denying all attacks.
Non-offensive means "military", but it is obviously not "using force to fight". It is a proactive attack, which will be defeated by violence and goes against the grain; it is not exactly "stopping fighting and using force", only the results are considered. If it is biased with the purpose, it will easily come to nothing.
Non-offensive is the "wu" of "holding the weapon to stop the conflict".
Stopping the war is the ideal goal, so Mozi is an idealist.
Holding arms is a realistic means, so Mozi is a realistic person.
Based on the strength of self-improvement, a virtuous mind will not make people feel weak, and only warnings, harsh words, gentle words, and gentle words will penetrate people's ears and be deeply rooted in people's hearts.
“Be prepared, don’t just rely on verbal success.
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