During the chaos of the Eight Princes' Rebellion, refugees were everywhere. Grandmaster Wu secretly opened a m…
During the chaos of the Eight Princes' Rebellion, refugees were everywhere. Grandmaster Wu secretly opened a mountain gate to send stored grain to those outside, but supplies were scarce. Despite the farmers' efforts, one mountain's yield couldn't feed all. So Wu ordered more land cleared, hoping even a small extra harvest could save lives.
Wu once saw people in the Central Plains practice cremation, saving money and farmland for the living. He noted that cremation benefits all and should be promoted. Changing customs in the mountains had to start with him.
Wu's wife, Ying, fell ill while treating others outside the mountain. Near death, she urged Wu to start cremation with his own kin. So Wu cremated Ying and placed her ashes in the Old Mohist City. Five years later, he did the same. Though Mozi once saw cremation as modest but acceptable, Wu embraced it fully for the greater good. Who says today's people are any less than the old?
From then on, Moists accepted cremation, and mountain villagers followed suit.