Introduction to the Mohist Canon

Abstract

We briefly introduce the approach to a historical theory of knowledge that underlies our comparison of the Mohist Canon to other historical sources. Next, we discuss the text and its tradition, starting from their socio-cultural origins and ending with their reception in modern times. In this context we provide a translation of Liang Qichao’s preface to his interpretative work on the Mohist Canon from 1921. Finally, we outline the philological difficulties arising from the text’s confused transmission and give an overview of the structure of the text.