Han Feizi – Chapter 35.1

Section 1

If rewards and punishments are shared between ruler and minister, prohibitions and orders will not be carried out. How can this be shown? It can be shown through the examples of Zaofu and Yuqi. Zihan acted like a wild boar darting out; Tian Heng acted like a garden pond. Thus the ruler of Song and Duke Jian of Qi were killed. The trouble lies in Wang Liang and Zaofu sharing one carriage, and in Tian Lian and Cheng Qiao sharing one zither.

Note

This Legalist excerpt from Han Feizi‑Chapter 35.1 warns against shared rewards‑punishments. With chariot‑driving and zither metaphors, it cites Zihan and Tian Heng’s usurpations to show divided sovereign power leads to the ruler’s downfall.

Han Feizi:

A major Legalist thinker of the Warring States period. He argued that a ruler must keep law, authority, and administrative technique firmly under his own control.

Zaofu and Yuqi:

Legendary master charioteers. Yuqi is also known as Wangzi Yuqi or Wang Liang. They are used here to show that even the most skilled driver fails when control is divided or distracted.

Wang Liang and Zaofu sharing a carriage:

A metaphor. If two experts each hold part of the reins, the horses become confused and the carriage cannot move properly. It illustrates the danger of divided authority.

Tian Lian and Cheng Qiao sharing a zither:

Another metaphor. Even excellent musicians cannot produce a proper tune if each controls different strings without unified direction.

Zihan:

A powerful minister of Song, also called Huang Xi. He took control of punishments while letting the ruler keep rewards, and eventually seized power and killed the ruler of Song.

Tian Heng:

Also known as Tian Chengzi or Tian Chang, a powerful minister of Qi. He won popular support by being generous, while the ruler relied on harsh punishment. This helped the Tian clan later dominate Qi.

The ruler of Song:

Here referring to the Song ruler killed by Zihan, traditionally identified as Lord Huan of Song.

Duke Jian of Qi:

The Qi ruler who was killed after the Tian clan gained great influence among the people.

“A wild boar darting out”:

An image of sudden disruption. Zihan is compared to a boar that startles the horses, breaking the ruler’s control.

“A garden pond”:

An image of temptation. Tian Heng is compared to water that attracts thirsty horses, drawing the people’s loyalty away from the ruler.

经一

　　赏罚共则禁令不行。何以明之？明之以造父、于期。子罕为出彘，田恒为圃池，故宋君、简公弑。患在王良、造父之共车，田连、成房之共琴也。