breakdown of Xu Xing’s ideas as recorded in Mencius·Duke Wen of Teng:

1. Who was Xu Xing?

• A thinker from the Agriculturalist School (Nongjia 农家) during China’s Warring States period.
• Advocated for egalitarianism and self-sufficient farming as the basis of society.

2. Key Beliefs

• “Equal Labor, Equal Share”
  • Everyone (including rulers) should farm to earn their food—no class divisions.
  • Mencius mocks this: Should rulers “make pots and plough fields” while governing?
• Anti-Market Skepticism
  • Criticized merchants for “profiting without labor.”
  • Wanted a barter system to avoid price exploitation.

3. Mencius’s Rebuttal

• “Division of Labor”: Argued society needs rulers, craftsmen, and farmers—specialization drives progress.
• Mocked Utopianism: Asked if Xu’s followers wove their own sandals or smelted their own tools (they didn’t).

4. Legacy

• A rare proto-socialist voice in ancient China, but deemed impractical by Confucians.
• Highlights early debates on labor value vs. social hierarchy.

TL;DR: Xu Xing wanted a farming-based utopia with no elites; Mencius clapped back with “That’s not how societies work, bro.” 🌾⚖️

(Note: The text survives via Mencius’s critique—so Xu’s side is filtered through his opponent’s lens!)

Because the age is too long, and more theoretical minority thoughts, there are few historical materials left, so the amount of text introduction is small.