Men of wisdom and statecraft must possess far‑sighted vision and sharp insight. Without sharp insight, they cannot expose private scheming.
Men capable of upholding law must be resolute, firm and upright. Without firm uprightness, they cannot correct treacherous conduct.
Ministers who follow decrees in their work and govern by law are not powerful magnates.
Powerful magnates are those who act arbitrarily without royal orders, damage laws for private gain, drain state wealth to benefit their clans, and manipulate their ruler through influence.
If men of wisdom and statecraft are trusted and employed, they will expose the hidden plots of powerful magnates.
If law‑upholding men are trusted and employed, they will rectify the magnates’ treacherous deeds.
Thus, when wise and law‑abiding statesmen are appointed, powerful ministers will fall outside legal restraints.
Therefore, law‑wise statesmen and dominant magnates are irreconcilable enemies who cannot coexist.
Note
This passage establishes a critical Legalist political dichotomy: wise law‑upholding statesmen and corrupt powerful ministers are mutually exclusive. Rulers must support the former to check the latter and secure absolute monarchical control.
The most important Legalist political theorist of the late Warring‑States Period. This passage is excerpted from Lonely Indignation (Gu Fen), one of his core essays explaining the conflict between loyal reformist statesmen and corrupt powerful ministers.
Men of Wisdom‑Statecraft & Law‑upholding Men
The ideal Legalist officials: perceptive, resolute, loyal to the ruler, and committed to enforcing impartial law to consolidate monarchical power.
Powerful Magnates
Corrupt, high‑ranking ministers who seize private power, bypass royal authority, manipulate the ruler, and prioritize family interests over state interests.
Irreconcilable Conflict
A foundational Legalist idea: reformist statesmen who uphold law and royal power are naturally opposed to entrenched corrupt elites; a ruler must choose one group to empower.
Monarchical Centralization
Han Fei’s core goal: eliminate ministerial factional power so that all authority rests solely with the sovereign.
智術之士，必遠見而明察，不明察不能燭私；能法之士，必強毅而勁直，不勁直不能矯姦。人臣循令而從事，案法而治官，非謂重人也。重人也者，無令而擅為，虧法以利私，耗國以便家，力能得其君，此所為重人也。智術之士，明察聽用，且燭重人之陰情；能法之士，勁直聽用，且矯重人之姦行。故智術能法之士用，則貴重之臣必在繩之外矣。是智法之士與當塗之人，不可兩存之仇也。
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