The Philosopher
Han Fei
The face
The background
- Nationality:
- Chinese
- Schools:
- Legalism
- Branchs:
- Legalism
- Period:
- Warring States period
The synopsis
Han Fei, also known as Han Feizi, was a prominent Chinese Legalist philosopher and statesman who lived during the tumultuous Warring States period (c. 280–233 BC). As a prince of the state of Han, he developed a comprehensive political philosophy that synthesized the ideas of his predecessors, Shang Yang, Shen Buhai, and Shen Dao. His seminal work, the *Han Feizi*, is considered a foundational text of Legalism. Han Fei's philosophy centered on the autocratic ruler's need for absolute control, achieved through the mastery of three key elements: 'power' (shì), 'technique' (shù), and 'law' (fǎ). He stressed the importance of objective standards, accountability for actions, and the effective use of rewards and punishments, famously known as the 'two handles.' His ideas are sometimes compared to those of Niccolò Machiavelli due to their pragmatic and often ruthless approach to governance. Despite the eventual suppression of Legalism by the Han dynasty, Han Fei's theories profoundly influenced subsequent Chinese political thought and statecraft, shaping the governance of imperial China for centuries.
The works
Han Feizi
The quotes
I believe it is impossible to be sure of anything.
The object of rewards is to encourage; that of punishments, to prevent. If rewards are high, then what the ruler wants will be quickly effected; if punishments are heavy, what he does not want will be swiftly prevented.
A wise ruler, when he makes his laws, is bound to find himself in conflict with the world.
The Way of an enlightened ruler is to make it so that no minister may make a proposal and then fail to match it with actions and results.
If you rely on political factions to promote men to office, the people will work to develop instrumental relationships and will not seek to be useful with regard to the law. Thus, a ruler who mistakes reputation for ability when assigning offices will see his state fall into disorder.
A filial son to his father can be a traitorous subject to his ruler.
The ruler who possesses methods of government does not follow the good that happens by chance but practices according to necessary principles. Law, methods, and power must be employed for government: these constitute its 'necessary principles.'
Within the frontiers of a state, there are no more than ten people who do good of themselves, whereas if one makes it so that the people can do no wrong, the entire state can be kept peaceful.
Those who serve as ministers can be compared to hands: reaching up, they take care of the head; reaching down, they take care of the feet.
The severe household has no fierce slaves, but it is the affectionate mother.
When an enlightened ruler controls his ministers, he makes it so that ministers cannot get credit for achievements gained by overstepping the bounds of their offices or make proposals and then fail to match them with actual achievements.
If a ruler of men wants to put an end to vice, he must examine the correspondence between form and name and look to see how what is said differs from what is done.
The duties of the ruler are like those of the helmsman of a great ship. From his lofty position, he makes slight movements with his hands, and the ship, of itself, follows his desires and moves. This is the way whereby the one may control the ten thousand and by quiescence may regulate activity.
A ruler makes use of the majority and neglects the minority, and so he does not devote himself to virtue but to law.
A wise man, when he writes a book, sets forth his arguments fully and clearly; an enlightened ruler, when he makes his laws, sees to it that every contingency is provided for in detail.
The people in the well-ordered ages of the past upheld the public law and abandoned private strategies; they focused their intentions and unified their conduct. Everything they did was for the sake of being employed by the ruler.
The intelligent ruler does not value people who are of themselves good without rewards and punishments. Why is that? The laws of the state cannot be neglected, and it is not one man who is being ruled.
If a ruler can get rid of private crookedness and promote the public law, his people will become secure, and his state will become well ordered.
If ministers forget their ruler and establish relationships with foreign powers in order to advance the interests of their confederates, there will be scant reason for subordinates to obey their superiors.
The intelligent ruler makes the law select men and makes no arbitrary appointment himself; he makes the law measure merits and makes no arbitrary judgment himself.
Superior and inferior wage one hundred battles a day.
A ruler of men faces two possible misfortunes: if he employs the worthy, the ministers will use worthiness as a pretext to rob their ruler of his power, but if he promotes men recklessly, his affairs will be neglected, and he will not prevail.
The severe household has no fierce slaves, while it is the affectionate mother who has the prodigal son.
The Way is the beginning of the ten thousand things and the guiding thread of truth and falsity.
He who is vain and delights in his own ability is deceived by his inferiors. When he likes to bring forth arguments and kindliness, his inferiors take advantage of his abilities.