Glossary

Plain definitions of Mohist and Community terms.

Term	Pinyin	Chinese	Definition
the later Mohist schools	biémò	别墨	After Mozi the school split into three lineages (相里氏, 相夫氏, 邓陵氏), each calling the others "deviant Mohists."
standards / compass and square	fǎyí / guījǔ	法仪 / 规矩	The 法仪 chapter holds that every task needs a standard, as craftsmen have compass and square; 墨门 uses this as its image of an objective standard. See Handbook 1
against aggression	fēigōng	非攻	Refusing to profit by aggression while supporting defense; Mozi's ten-day walk to stop Chu attacking Song is the model. See Handbook 2
the 非攻 Corps	fēigōng	非攻 Corps	墨门's volunteer service corps, trained in emergency response, mediation, and basic protection, helping others defend themselves in disaster and conflict. See Handbook 10
against fatalism	fēimìng	非命	Rejecting fate as an excuse: "strive and there is order, do not strive and there is chaos." The three tests originate in this chapter. See Handbook 2
against extravagance	fēiyuè	非乐	Opposing extravagant display while the three hardships remain; not opposition to music itself. See Handbook 2
harm	hài	害	Real damage done to people; Mozi's aim is to remove it from the world. See Handbook 1
care impartially, benefit mutually	jiān xiāng ài, jiāo xiāng lì	兼相爱，交相利	The reciprocal form of impartial care, from 兼爱中: everyone cares for everyone, and everyone is cared for. See Handbook 2
replace partiality with impartiality	jiān yǐ yì bié	兼以易别	Mozi's remedy for the world's disorder: replace favoritism with treating everyone alike. See Handbook 2
impartial care	jiān'ài	兼爱	Caring about every person's welfare without partiality; the center of the ten doctrines. See Handbook 2
the assembly	jiān'ài dàhuì	兼爱大会	The twice-yearly assembly of delegates from all chapters, which considers Handbook amendments, elects the 鉅子, and publishes the accounts. See Handbook 6
care pair	jiān'ài jiéduì	兼爱结对	The mutual-care partnership between two Mohists, with at least one check-in a week, rotated yearly. See Handbook 8
the care fund	jiān'ài jījīn	兼爱基金	The chapter fund that helps those in need, paid out by need rather than connection, with every item published. See Handbook 9
the impartial person / the partial person	jiānshì / biéshì	兼士 / 别士	A contrast from 兼爱下: the impartial person treats others' hunger, cold, and illness as their own concern; the partial person looks after only their own. See Handbook 2
the 兼士 service year	jiānshì fúwù nián	兼士服务年	A voluntary year of full-time service in the 非攻 Corps or a chapter, named after the impartial person (兼士) of 兼爱下. See Handbook 10
moderation in use	jiéyòng	节用	Stopping at enough, cutting expense that adds no benefit, and putting the savings to the common good. See Handbook 2
frugality offering	jiéyòng juān	节用捐	A voluntary monthly gift to the care fund of part of what a Mohist saved by moderation; the amount is private. See Handbook 9
simplicity in burial	jiézàng	节葬	Burying simply, against lavish burial and prolonged mourning that drain the living. See Handbook 2
Juzi (head of the order)	jùzǐ	鉅子	Head of the Mohist order. Historically appointed by the predecessor, from Mozi through 禽滑厘, 孟胜, 田襄子, and 腹䵍. In 墨门, elected by 兼爱大会 delegates for a five-year term, at most two terms, bound by the Handbook. See Handbook 4
STEM hall (kids' science)	kējì táng	科技堂	The chapter's hands-on science program for children, starting from the optics, mechanics, and geometry of the Mohist Canons. See Handbook 11
benefit	lì	利	Real good done to people; the measure of every action and rule. See Handbook 1
the weekly reading	měi zhōu yī piān	每周一篇	One chapter of the Mozi read by all Mohists each week on a shared yearly schedule, with an introduction, a three-tests question, and one practice. See Handbook 6
acting as if watched	mínggui	明鬼	Mozi's argument that spirits see even into hidden ravines, so no one dares do wrong; 墨门 keeps the spirit: act as if watched, with open books and records. See Handbook 2
Mohist debate	mòbiàn	墨辩	The Mohist tradition of logic and argument; in 墨门, the segment of each meeting where two sides reason through one question. See Handbook 6
the Mohist Canons	mòjīng	墨经	Chapters 40 to 45 of the Mozi, on definitions, logic, geometry, and optics (including the pinhole image and straight-line light), largely by later Mohists. See Handbook 2
the Community council	mòmén lǐshìhuì	墨门理事会	The governing body of delegates chosen by the regions, which assists the 鉅子 in carrying out the Handbook and oversees books and discipline. See Handbook 4
region	mòqū	墨区	A regional grouping of several chapters that coordinates them and reports to the council. See Handbook 5
chapter	mòshè	墨社	The basic unit of 墨门: a group of Mohists in one locality who meet weekly, led by a chapter lead. See Handbook 5
Mohist	mòzhě	墨者	A follower and practitioner of Mozi's teaching; in 墨门, a member who has signed the 非攻 pledge and joined a chapter. See Handbook 3
the Handbook (the Mohists' law)	mòzhě zhī fǎ	墨者之法	Historically the internal discipline of the Mohist order ("who kills shall die, who wounds shall be punished"); in 墨门, the fifteen-chapter Handbook that governs all rules. See Handbook 1
the three tests	sānbiǎo	三表	Mozi's three criteria for judging a claim: precedent (本之, the sage kings), evidence (原之, what people see and hear), and benefit when applied (用之). See Handbook 1
the three-tests review	sānbiǎo huígù	三表回顾	The weekly check on last week's practice and the yearly review of personal and chapter goals, both using precedent, evidence, and benefit. See Handbook 12
shared standards	shàngtóng	尚同	Forming a common standard of right through chosen leaders and honest upward reporting; in 墨门, open deliberation with written dissent. See Handbook 2
promoting the worthy	shàngxián	尚贤	Giving responsibility to the able and upright regardless of origin: "officials are not permanently noble, nor the people permanently base." See Handbook 2
young Mohists	shàonián mòzhě	少年墨者	墨门's youth program: STEM hall, a simplified weekly reading, and age-appropriate assignments. See Handbook 11
chapter lead	shèzhǎng	社长	The leader chosen by a chapter's members, who assigns care pairs and assignments, chairs the council, and reports honestly to the region monthly. See Handbook 4
the ten doctrines	shílùn	十论	Mozi's ten core teachings: impartial care, against aggression, promoting the worthy, shared standards, moderation in use, simplicity in burial, the standard above, acting as if watched, against extravagance, against fatalism. See Handbook 2
the world (all under heaven)	tiānxià	天下	Everyone, not limited to one state or family; the scope of impartial care.
the standard above	tiānzhì	天志	Mozi's measure of right above any ruler, like the wheelwright's compass and the carpenter's square; 墨门 keeps the structure: an objective standard of right above any ruler's whim. See Handbook 2
promote what benefits the world, remove what harms it	xīng tiānxià zhī lì, chú tiānxià zhī hài	兴天下之利，除天下之害	Mozi's overall aim, from 兼爱下; 墨门 tests every rule against it. See Handbook 1
lineage	xuémài	学脉	The line of learning between Mohists: each new member is guided through the ten doctrines by an experienced one, forming a traceable lineage. See Handbook 3
right / doing right	yì	义	What is right; for Mozi, "nothing is more valuable than 义," and its content is the benefit of the world. See Handbook 1
sharing what you have (contribution)	yǒu cái xiāng fēn	有财相分	From 尚贤下, "those with wealth should strive to share it"; in 墨门, voluntary contributions to the care fund. See Handbook 9
the monthly meeting	yuèhuì	月会	The chapter's monthly council, open to all members, which decides rules, funds, and assignments. See Handbook 6
assignment	zhí	职	A specific task a Mohist takes on in the chapter, filled by nomination and appointed by the chapter lead, with a fixed term and published standard. See Handbook 7
knowing kinds (consistent reasoning)	zhīlèi	知类	Judging like cases by like standards; 非攻上's escalation from a stolen peach to an attacked state demands it. See Handbook 6