If a ruler wishes to stop treachery, he must carefully verify the match between title and performance – that is, between ministers’ words and deeds.
A minister presents his proposals; the ruler assigns tasks according to those words and demands concrete achievements from the tasks.
Rewards are given if achievements match tasks and tasks match words; punishments are imposed if they do not.
Ministers who boast greatly yet achieve little are punished – not for small achievement, but for inconsistency between performance and claim.
Ministers who speak modestly yet accomplish far more are also punished. This is not because the ruler dislikes great merits, but because mismatched words and deeds bring greater harm than insufficient achievement.
Once King Zhaohou of Han fell asleep drunk. The official in charge of headwear noticed the ruler felt cold and covered him with a coat. When the king woke up pleased, he asked his attendants: “Who covered me?” They replied: “The headwear official.”
The king then punished both the official in charge of clothing and the headwear official.
He punished the clothing official for neglecting his duty, and the headwear official for overstepping his authority. The ruler was not unafraid of cold, but believed the harm of unauthorized power‑grabbing was far greater than cold itself.
Therefore an enlightened ruler controls his ministers such that they cannot seek merit beyond their official duties nor make inappropriate claims. Those who overstep duties shall be put to death; those who speak falsely shall be punished. When ministers keep to their posts and speak truthfully, they cannot form cliques or collude with one another.
Note
This passage stresses two essential Legalist rules: strict alignment of words and results, and strict separation of official duties, to prevent usurpation and factional collusion.
Leading Legalist thinker of the late Warring States Period. This passage is from The Two Handles (Er Bing), elaborating the statecraft of matching words with deeds and regulating official duties.
King Zhaohou of Han
Ruler of the State of Han, famous in Legalist texts for strictly enforcing official division of duties. His punishment of two minor officials became a classic political example.
Dian‑Yi & Dian‑Guan
Two minor court officials: one in charge of clothing, the other of headwear. Their case illustrates the principle of non‑overstepping official boundaries.
Matching Title and Performance (Xing‑Ming)
Core Legalist technique: verify whether ministers’ actual results match their promises and official titles. Both over‑performance and under‑performance are punished to maintain standardization.
Non‑Overstepping Official Duty
Strict division of official functions is emphasized. Even well‑intentioned actions beyond one’s post are forbidden, to prevent power‑grabbing and factionalism.
Rational Legal Governance
Legalism prioritizes institutional rules over personal kindness. King Zhaohou (Zhaohou of Han) ignores gratitude for warmth and punishes overreach, showing law above personal favor.
Anti‑Clique Strategy
Clear duty boundaries stop ministers from sharing power and forming cliques, safeguarding monarchical centralization.
人主將欲禁姦，則審合刑名者，言異事也。為人臣者陳而言，君以其言授之事，專以其事責其功。功當其事，事當其言，則賞；功不當其事，事不當其言，則罰。故群臣其言大而功小者則罰，非罰小功也，罰功不當名也。群臣其言小而功大者亦罰，非不說於大功也，以為不當名也害甚於有大功，故罰。昔者韓昭侯醉而寢，典冠者見君之寒也，故加衣於君之上，覺寢而說，問左右曰：「誰加衣者？」左右對曰：「典冠。」君因兼罪典衣與典冠。其罪典衣、以為失其事也，其罪典冠、以為越其職也。非不惡寒也，以為侵官之害甚於寒。故明主之畜臣，臣不得越官而有功，不得陳言而不當。越官則死，不當則罪，守業其官所言者貞也，則群臣不得朋黨相為矣。
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