Mo Tzu also known as Master Mo, Mo Ti (fifth century B.C.), Chinese philosopher and founder of the Mohist school of thought, which was a major rival to Confucianism in ancient China. The text Mo Tzu contains different versions of his teachings as well as subsequent developments of his thought. Mo Tzu regarded rightness (yi) as determined by what benefits (li) the public, where benefit is understood in terms of such things as order and increased resources in society. He opposed the musical activities and ritual practices of the Confucians on the ground that such practices are detrimental to the public good. He is probably best known for advocating the ideal of an equal concern to benefit and avoid harm to every human being. Practicing this ideal is to the public good, since strife and disorder stem from partiality toward oneself or one’s family or social group. Also, it being the will of Heaven (t’ien) that people have equal concern for all, one will be rewarded or punished by Heaven according to whether one practices this ideal. In response to worries about the practicability of the ideal, Mo Tzu insisted that it was simple and easy to put the ideal into practice, leaving himself open to the charge that he neglected the complexities of emotional management. See also CONFUCIANISM , MOHISM. K.-l.S.