Li3 Chinese term meaning ‘profit’ or ‘benefit’, and probably with the basic meaning of ‘smooth’ or ‘unimpeded’. Mo Tzu (fourth century B.C.) regarded what brings li (benefit) to the public as the criterion of yi (rightness), and certain other classical Chinese texts also describe yi as the basis for producing li. Confucians tend to use ‘li’ pejoratively to refer to what profits oneself or social groups (e.g., one’s family) to which one belongs, and contrast li with yi. According to them, one should ideally be guided by yi rather than li, and in the political realm, a preoccupation with li will lead to strife and disorder. See also CONFU- CIANISM , MOHIS. K.-l.S.