Explanation 5
During the time of Duke Xian of Jin, Li Ji was favored and her status rivaled that of the principal wife. She wished to have her son Xi Qi replace Crown Prince Shensheng, so she slandered Shensheng before the duke and had him killed, then established Xi Qi as crown prince.
The ruler of Zheng had already established a crown prince, but he had a beloved beauty and wished to make her son the heir. The prince’s mother, fearing for her son’s position, used poison to assassinate the ruler.
Zhou Yu of Wei was favored by the ruler of Wei and his power rivaled that of the sovereign. All the ministers and common people feared the weight of his authority. Zhou Yu indeed killed his ruler and seized control of the government.
Prince Chao was the crown prince of Zhou. His younger brother, Prince Gen, was greatly favored by the ruler. When the ruler died, Prince Gen rebelled with the territory of Eastern Zhou, and the realm was split into two states.
King Cheng of Chu established Shang Chen as crown prince, but later wished to replace him with Prince Zhi. Shang Chen staged a rebellion and attacked and killed King Cheng.
Another version: King Cheng of Chu had established Shang Chen as crown prince, but later wished to install Prince Zhi. When Shang Chen heard of this, he had not yet confirmed the report, so he asked his tutor Pan Chong: “How can I verify this?” Pan Chong said: “Entertain Jiang Miao and show her disrespect.” The crown prince followed this advice. Jiang Miao said: “Ha! You wretch! No wonder the king wishes to depose you and install Zhi!” Shang Chen said: “It is confirmed.” Pan Chong asked: “Can you serve him?” Shang Chen replied: “I cannot.” Pan Chong asked: “Can you live as a feudal lord under him?” Shang Chen replied: “I cannot.” Pan Chong asked: “Can you undertake a great enterprise?” Shang Chen replied: “I can.” Thereupon he mobilized the palace guards and attacked King Cheng. King Cheng requested to eat bear paw before dying – but the request was denied – and so he took his own life.
When Han Kui served as chancellor to Marquis Ai of Han, Yan Sui was favored by the ruler. The two men were bitter rivals. Yan Sui then hired someone to assassinate Han Kui in the court. Han Kui fled toward the ruler and embraced him, so the assassin killed both Han Kui and Marquis Ai.
Tian Heng served as chancellor of Qi, while Kan Zhi was favored by Duke Jian. The two men despised each other and plotted against one another. Tian Heng distributed private favors to win over the people, then killed Duke Jian and seized control of the state.
Dai Huan served as Grand Chancellor of Song, while Huang Xi was favored by the ruler. The two men competed for power and sought to destroy each other. Huang Xi ultimately killed the ruler of Song and seized control of the government.
Hu Tu said: “When a ruler is devoted to his inner favorites, the crown prince is in danger; when a ruler is devoted to his outer favorites, the chancellor is in danger.”
The ruler of Zheng asked Zheng Zhao: “How is the crown prince?” Zheng Zhao replied: “The crown prince has not yet been born.” The ruler said: “The crown prince has already been established – why do you say he has not been born?” Zheng Zhao replied: “Although the crown prince has been established, the ruler’s fondness for beauty does not cease. If one of his favorites bears a son, the ruler will surely love that child; if he loves that child, he will surely wish to make him heir. That is why I say the crown prince has not yet been born.”
Note
This is Explanation Five from Han Feizi: Inner Congested Sayings, Part II. It assembles cases on how royal favour distorts succession and brings usurpation and regicide. Unlike prior sections focusing on ministers’ frauds, it highlights a root structural issue: uncertain inheritance fuels all palace intrigues.
Duke Xian of Jin (晋献公, r. 676–651 BCE):
Ruler of the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period. His reign is infamous for the “Li Ji Intrigue” (骊姬之乱), one of the most celebrated succession crises in Chinese history. His favoritism toward concubine Li Ji led to the deaths of Crown Prince Shensheng and the exile of princes Chong’er (later Duke Wen of Jin) and Yiwu, ultimately plunging Jin into years of instability.
Li Ji (骊姬):
A concubine of Duke Xian of Jin. She is one of the most notorious “femme fatales” in Chinese political history. Her scheming to replace the crown prince with her own son Xi Qi became a textbook example of how inner-palace favoritism can destabilize a state. It resulted in the State of Jin having no royal clansmen. The royal house’s power was systematically weakened, paving the way for powerful non‑surnamed ministers to expand their influence and ultimately led to the fragmentation of Jin into three states (Han, Zhao, Wei) a century later.
Zhou Yu of Wei (卫州吁):
A favored son of Duke Zhuang of Wei (r. 757–735 BCE). He grew so powerful that he assassinated his half-brother Duke Huan of Wei in 719 BCE and briefly seized the throne. His story illustrates Han Fei’s principle that a minister or prince whose power “rivals the sovereign” will inevitably attempt usurpation.
King Cheng of Chu (楚成王, r. 671–626 BCE):
A powerful ruler of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period. His tragic end – being forced to commit suicide by his own crown prince Shang Chen – is one of the most dramatic succession crises in pre-imperial Chinese history.
Shang Chen (商臣), later King Mu of Chu (楚穆王):
Crown prince who, upon learning that his father intended to replace him, staged a coup with the help of his tutor Pan Chong. The “three questions” dialogue with Pan Chong – “Can you serve him? Can you live under him? Can you act?” – is a masterpiece of cold political psychology.
Pan Chong (潘崇):
Tutor to Shang Chen. His method of verifying the succession rumor – deliberately insulting King Cheng’s sister Jiang Miao to provoke a revealing outburst – is a classic example of indirect intelligence-gathering in ancient Chinese political practice.
Han Kui (韩傀) and Yan Sui (严遂):
Rival ministers of the state of Han. Their deadly feud culminated in an assassination at court that also killed Marquis Ai of Han, demonstrating how ministerial rivalry can consume the sovereign himself.
Tian Heng (田恆):
Tian Heng (田恆), also known as Tian Chang (田常), a powerful minister of Qi who used private charity to build popular support, then assassinated Duke Jian of Qi (r. 484–481 BCE) and seized control. His descendants eventually replaced the ruling Jiang family entirely, establishing the Tian dynasty of Qi – one of the most successful ministerial usurpations in Chinese history.
Hu Tu (狐突):
A nobleman of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period. His maxim – “When a ruler favors his inner circle, the crown prince is endangered; when he favors his outer circle, the chancellor is endangered” – is cited by Han Fei as a concise summary of the structural dangers of unchecked favoritism.
Zheng Zhao (郑昭):
A minister or advisor of the state of Zheng. His paradoxical answer – “The crown prince has not yet been born” – is one of the most memorable witticisms in Han Feizi, encapsulating the idea that no succession arrangement is secure as long as the ruler’s personal desires remain unconstrained.
Rivaling the Sovereign / Rivaling the Principal Wife:
Han Fei’s recurring diagnostic criterion. Whenever a minister’s power approaches that of the ruler, or a concubine’s status approaches that of the queen, usurpation becomes not merely possible but probable. This is the political equivalent of a structural overload – the system cannot sustain two centers of authority.
Distributing Private Favors:
The practice of a minister using personal wealth or influence to build popular loyalty independent of the state. Han Fei considers this one of the most dangerous forms of political subversion, because it creates a parallel power structure that the ruler cannot control. Tian Heng’s success with this method ultimately led to the complete replacement of Qi’s ruling house.
Requesting to Eat Bear Paw Before Dying:
When King Cheng of Chu was surrounded by his son’s forces, he requested time to eat bear paw – a delicacy that requires long cooking – hoping to delay his death until reinforcements might arrive. The request was denied. This detail has become a famous literary allusion for a condemned person’s last, futile attempt to buy time.
说五
晋献公之时，骊姬贵，拟于后妻，而欲以其子奚齐代太子申生，因患申生于君而杀之，遂立奚齐为太子。
郑君已立太子矣，而有所爱美女欲以其子为后。夫人恐，因用毒药贼君杀之。
卫州吁重于卫，拟于君，群臣百姓尽畏其势重。州吁果杀其君而夺之政。
公子朝，周太子也，弟公子根甚有宠于君。君死，遂以东周叛，分为两国。
楚成王以商臣为太子，既而又欲置公子职。商臣作乱，遂攻杀成王。
一曰：楚成王以商臣为太子，既欲置公子职。商臣闻之，未察也，乃为其傅潘崇曰：”奈何察之也？”潘崇曰：”飨江羋而勿敬也。”太子听之，江羋曰：”呼，役夫！宜君王之欲废女而立职也。”商臣曰：”信矣。”潘崇曰：”能事之乎？”曰：”不能。””能为之诸侯乎？”曰：”不能。””能举大事乎？”曰：”能。”于是乃起宿营之甲而攻成王。成王请食熊膰而死，不许，遂自杀。
韩傀相韩哀侯，严遂重于君，二人甚相害也。严遂乃令人刺韩傀于朝，韩傀走君而抱之，遂刺韩傀而兼哀侯。
田恆相齐，阚止重于简公，二人相憎而欲相贼也。田恆因行私惠以取其国，遂杀简公而夺之政。
戴驩为宋太宰，皇喜重于君，二人争事而相害也。皇喜遂杀宋君而夺其政。
狐突曰：”国君好内则太子危，好外则相室危。”
郑君问郑昭曰：”太子亦何如？”对曰：”太子未生也。”君曰：”太子已置，而曰’未生’，何也？”对曰：”太子虽置，然而君之好色不已，所爱有子，君必爱之，爱之则必欲以为后，臣故曰’太子未生’也。”
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