Hanzi

The idiom "一毛不拔" (yī máo bù bá) originates from the Mencius, 'Jinxin Shang' (尽心上), which discusses the philosophical views of Yang Zhu and Mozi during the Warring States period.

Mozi, a prominent thinker and founder of Mohism, advocated for "universal love" (兼爱) and opposed warfare. In contrast, Yang Zhu, a contemporary philosopher, espoused "egoism" (为我), emphasizing the preservation of one's own life and self-interest, rejecting any harm to oneself or others.

One day, Mozi's student, Qin Guli, asked Yang Zhu: "If plucking out a single hair from your body could benefit the entire world, would you do it?" Yang Zhu replied that the world's problems could not be solved by such a small act. Qin Guli then asked, "But if it were possible, would you be willing?" Yang Zhu remained silent.

Mencius later commented on this, saying: "Yang Zi's doctrine is 'for myself'; even if plucking out a single hair could benefit the world, he would not do it. Mo Zi's doctrine is 'universal love'; as long as it benefits the world, even if it means rubbing his head bald and wearing out his heels, he would willingly do it."

The idiom "一毛不拔" later evolved to describe someone who is exceedingly stingy and selfish, unwilling to give up even the slightest thing.