The Mohists have a negative attitude towards music, believing that music is a luxurious life for the ruling class. It not only wastes people and money, but also risks the country's subjugation if it goes too far. Mozi said that a truly benevolent and righteous man will do things that are beneficial to the world and the people. He will not do anything that is detrimental to the world and the people. He will do things that look good to his eyes, sound good to his ears, and taste good to his mouth. But if these things require plundering people's property, then benevolent and righteous people will not do it.

Nowadays, princes and ministers make musical instruments as a major matter of governing the country. They levy heavy taxes on the people to make musical instruments such as bells, drums, harps, harps, and shengs. Mozi said that there are three kinds of disasters for the people: hungry people cannot get food, cold people cannot get clothes, and tired people cannot get rest. These three things are the people's biggest worries.

So Mozi said: If we impose heavy taxes on the people and make bells, drums, harps, harps, yusheng and other musical instruments, in order to benefit the world and eliminate the harm to the world, that is the end of the world. It is useless, so Mozi said: It is wrong to engage in musical activities.

Extended information

Mozi believed that making music equipment would cost the people a lot of money; secondly, Mozi believed that playing music would take up a lot of people's time, and these time are completely It can be used for production; finally, Mozi believed that although music can make people happy, it will make the princes and nobles neglect their government affairs, which will not be beneficial to the world, not beneficial to the people, and even harm the country.

So, Mozi said that music is useless from beginning to end, so it should be banned. At the same time, Mozi also cited examples of ancient sage kings to illustrate that ancient sage kings banned music. .