Yang Chu also called Yang Tzu (c.370–319 B.C.), Chinese philosopher most famous for the assertion, attributed to him by Mencius, that one ought not sacrifice even a single hair to save the whole world. Widely criticized as a selfish egotist and hedonist, Yang Chu was a private person who valued bodily integrity, health, and longevity over fame, fortune, and power. He believed that because one’s body and lifespan were bestowed by Heaven (t’ien), one has a duty (and natural inclination) to maintain bodily health and live out one’s years. Far from sanctioning hedonistic indulgence, this Heavenimposed duty requires discipline. R.P.P. & R.T.A.