Gongsun Long

Gongsun Long was a Chinese philosopher of the Warring States period, known for arguments about names and things, including the paradox “a white horse is not a horse.”

White Horse Dialogue: A surviving dialogue in which Gongsun Long argues that a white horse is not a horse. It gives his best-known case for separating a thing’s specific description from its general name.
White Horse Paradox: The puzzle that a white horse is not a horse because the compound expression specifies more than the general term. This paradox condenses Gongsun Long’s analysis of names into a single disputed claim.
Warring States period: The era of rival Chinese states from the fifth century to 221 BCE, ending with Qin unification. Gongsun Long lived amid competing courts and intellectual traditions during this era.
Zhuangzi's critique of Gongsun Long: A passage in the Zhuangzi that questions the value and limits of Gongsun Long’s disputation. It shows that his arguments were already controversial in early accounts.
School of Names: A loose grouping of ancient Chinese thinkers concerned with names, distinctions, and argument. Gongsun Long is its most famous representative.
指物論: A Gongsun Long text, usually translated as “On Pointing at Things,” about reference and the relation between words and objects. It extends the inquiry beyond the white-horse argument to how language points to things.
Zhao state: A major state of northern China during the Warring States period. Gongsun Long is traditionally associated with Zhao and its courtly debates.
Gongsun Longzi: The received collection of essays attributed to Gongsun Long, including the White Horse Dialogue. This text is the principal source for reconstructing his thought.
Ming (names): The Chinese concept of names, designations, or terms used to identify and classify things. His arguments examine what a name includes and what it excludes.
Robber Zhi: A dialogue attributed to Gongsun Long in which he debates the legendary outlaw Zhi. Its exchange tests how definitions and distinctions can govern an argument.

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Hui ShiRelated: His surviving arguments offer a more substantial record of the school Hui Shi helped represent.