This article offers a new reading ofMozi’s chapter “Ming gui” 明鬼, conventionally considered as a treatise explaining Mohist ideas about ghosts and spirits, by shifting the focus from the ghosts (gui鬼) to the concept ofming明, interpreted as “sagely illumination.” The “Ming gui” chapter does not discuss ghosts in general, but instead a specific group of “punitive ghosts” who mete out punishments and rewards; it also shows thatming guiwas not a group of ghosts particular toMozior Mohism alone, but was widespread in the beliefs and practices of the period. The execution of justice, which is the crucial concern of the treatise, depends onming—the principle of justice and Heaven’s agency in human life—and not on ghosts.Mingalso is an indispensable component of sagehood, as it is the illuminated sage ruler (ming jun明君) who, on behalf of Heaven, ultimately metes out just punishments and rewards.

中文翻译：

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墨子与鬼：明的概念 墨子的《明鬼》《明鬼》

这篇文章提供了一个新的解读墨子的“明鬼”一章，传统上被认为是解释墨家关于鬼魂的思想的论文，将焦点从鬼魂转移（桂鬼）的概念明明，解释为“圣明”。《明鬼》一章没有笼统地讨论鬼，而是指特定的一组“刑鬼”，施以刑罚；它还表明明贵不是一群鬼特有的墨子或单独的墨家，但在那个时期的信仰和实践中很普遍。作为该论文的关键关注点，司法的执行取决于明——正义原则和上天在人类生活中的代理——而不是在鬼魂上。明也是圣人不可缺少的组成部分，因为它是照亮圣人的尺子（明君明君）代表上天，最终给予公正的惩罚和奖励。