Gōngsūnlóngzǐ 公孫龍子

‘Master Gōngsūnlóng’, a text associated with the School of Names and traditionally attributed to Gōngsūn Lóng (c. 325–250 BCE). The work contains some of the most famous paradoxes and logical arguments in early Chinese thought, including the ‘white horse’ dialogue. Although modern scholars disagree about the authenticity and composition of the received text, it remains an important source for the study of early Chinese theories of language, classification, and argumentation. Its doctrines are frequently compared with those of the Mohists and form an important part of the intellectual background to theMòjīng.