1. Xu Xing (许行, c. 4th–3rd Century BCE)

• Core Philosophy
  • Equal Labor (君臣并耕): Rulers should farm alongside commoners
  • Anti-Market (市贾不贰): Fixed grain pricing to prevent exploitation
  • Self-Sufficiency (自给自足): Reject luxury goods for agrarian simplicity
• Key Contributions
  • Founded China’s first agrarian socialist movement
  • Advocated land reform centuries before Western utopianists
• Historical Significance
  • Radical challenge to Confucian hierarchy and Legalist control
• Modern Relevance
  • Precursor to Chinese land reform policies (e.g., Ming Dynasty “Equal Field” system)

2. Key Teachings in Mencius 3A:4