Yang Zhu

Yang Zhu was an influential Chinese philosopher during the Warring States period. He lived from approximately 440 BC to 360 BC. He founded a philosophical school of thought known as Yangism. His ideas offer an early form of ethical egoism. This means he focused on the importance of the individual. His teachings appear in several important Chinese texts. These include the *Huainanzi*, *Lüshi Chunqiu*, *Mengzi*, and possibly the *Liezi* and *Zhuangzi*.

A central part of his philosophy is the concept of self-preservation. In Chinese, this is called *weiwo*. This idea has led some to credit him with the "discovery of the body." He believed that all living beings possess a natural survival instinct. While animals use physical strength to survive, humans must use intelligence. He argued that using strength against others is despicable. Instead, humans should use their minds to protect their own lives and well-being.

Yang Zhu's views often clashed with other major Chinese philosophies. For example, he stood in opposition to Mohism and Confucianism. The philosopher Mencius was a very famous critic of Yang Zhu. Mencius described Yang Zhu's ideas as being like "floods and wild animals that ravage the land." Mencius argued that Yang Zhu's principle of "each for himself" ignored the duties owed to a ruler. He also believed it ignored the special affection a person owes to their father. Mencius feared these ideas would stop the path of benevolence and righteousness.

Mencius famously claimed that Yang Zhu would not pluck a single hair from his body to benefit the world. However, Yang Zhu had a specific response to this criticism. He argued that self-impairment does not actually help anyone else. He believed that if everyone minded their own business, the world would be well governed. This meant neither giving too much nor taking from others. He taught that people should be content with what they have. By protecting personal interests, he believed one could actually safeguard social interests.

Yang Zhu also shared a unique perspective on the nature of time and life. He observed that even a very long life of one hundred years is limited. He noted that infancy and old age take up nearly half of that time. Sleep and rest take up almost half of the remaining time. When you subtract pain, sickness, and worry, very little time remains. He estimated that in the few years left, there is rarely a moment of true ease. Because of this, he believed we should focus on finding pleasure in the present.

This focus on the present included enjoying beauty, abundance, music, and sex. He warned against the trap of chasing empty praise or extra glory after death. He felt that being too concerned with laws, punishments, and rewards could be a burden. To Yang Zhu, a life spent worrying about what is right or wrong for the mind and body could feel like a prison. He encouraged people to seek the spiritual self through self-expression. Some scholars, like Henri Maspero, described his view as a mixture of pessimism and fatalism.

Finally, Yang Zhu held very calm views regarding death. He believed death is as natural as life itself. Because it is natural, it should be viewed without fear or awe. He argued that funeral ceremonies have no value to the person who has died. A deceased person does not care if they are buried in a coffin or a ditch. They do not care if they are dressed in fine clothes. To Yang Zhu, the most important thing is that a person lives their life to the fullest before death strikes.