Yang Zhu

Yang Zhu was an ancient Chinese philosopher associated with Yangism, which emphasized preserving life and pursuing personal well-being. His ideas survive mainly through reports and later interpretations.

Yangism: An ancient Chinese philosophical current associated with Yang Zhu that prioritized preserving life and personal well-being. This school gives Yang Zhu’s scattered teachings their clearest surviving philosophical identity.
Preservation of life: The principle of protecting one’s life and bodily integrity from avoidable harm. It captures the practical priority most often attributed to Yang Zhu.
Liezi: A Chinese philosophical text traditionally attributed to Lie Yukou and compiled in its received form centuries later. Its chapter titled “Yang Zhu” is the fullest source devoted to the philosopher’s views.
Mohism: A Chinese philosophical school founded by Mozi that advocated impartial care and practical benefit for all. Mohist concern for everyone supplies the clearest counterpoint to Yang Zhu’s reported self-prioritization.
Warring States period: The era of warfare and competing states in China from 475 to 221 BCE. Yang Zhu is situated in the intellectual ferment of this era.
Self-interest: The pursuit of benefits for oneself, whether narrowly or as part of a broader account of human motivation. Yang Zhu’s reported stance treats personal welfare as a legitimate ethical concern.
Mencius (book): A collection of conversations and arguments associated with the Confucian philosopher Mencius. It preserves a brief but influential portrayal of Yang Zhu as an opponent of public-minded ethics.
Confucianism: A Chinese ethical and political tradition centered on humaneness, ritual, moral cultivation, and social relationships. Confucian duties to family and society frame Mencius’s objections to Yang Zhu.
Hundred Schools of Thought: A flourishing of competing philosophical traditions in China during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Yangism emerged among the many schools debating how people and states should live.
Mencius's critique of Yang Zhu: Mencius’s objection that Yang Zhu’s refusal to benefit the world by sacrificing a single hair amounted to neglecting others. This famous criticism crystallizes the perceived conflict between self-preservation and public duty.

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