墨子节用思想简析

On Mo Di's ideas of frugality

节用是墨子的一个基本的治国思想。墨子从衣、食、住、行、性、葬、乐等方面揭示了当时君主横征暴敛、奢侈荒淫的现状,并以古代圣王作对照,说明应该怎样节用。墨子的节用思想,主要是针对上层统治者来说的,是在保证下层百姓基本生活需要的前提下节用;而节用的主要目的,是为了广大人民能够过上"暖衣饱食"的生活。

The idea of frugality is a major part of Mo Di＇ s political theories. He revealed the reality of the monarch＇s extorting excessive taxes and levies as well as extravagant and incontinent life by displaying all aspects of the monarch＇s life： dressing, eating, housing, traveling, sex, funeral and entertaining. Mo Di compared the monarchs of the time with ancient sages to explicate the practice of frugality. Mo Di＇ s idea of frugality mainly aims at monarchs and archons. He maintained that the precondition of frugality is that average people should have enough for life necessities, and the main purpose of frugality is to make the people dress warmly and ear one＇ s fill. If we admit that Mo Di did have some tendency of asceticism, he merely urged to prohibit the excessive desire of a minority of people in order to fulfill the basic desire of all.