Explanations I
When Confucius served as chief minister in Wei, his disciple Zi Gao worked as a prison officer. He ordered a man’s foot to be cut off, and that man later guarded the gate. Someone slandered Confucius before the ruler of Wei, saying, “Kong Qiu intends to rebel.” The ruler of Wei wanted to arrest Confucius. Confucius fled, and all his disciples scattered. As Zi Gao was leaving the gate, the man whose foot had been cut off pulled him into a small room beside the gate, so that the pursuing officers could not find him. At midnight, Zi Gao asked him, “I could not violate my lord’s law, and so I personally ordered your foot to be cut off. Now is the time for you to take revenge. Why, then, are you willing to save me? How have I earned such kindness from you?” The man replied, “My foot was cut off because I truly deserved punishment; there was no help for it. Yet when you were judging my case, you carefully weighed the law, spoke on my behalf again and again, and sincerely wished that I might be pardoned. I knew this. When the judgment was fixed and my guilt decided, you looked troubled and displeased; I saw this too. You did not act this way out of private favor toward me. It was your natural benevolence. That is why I am grateful to you and feel indebted to you.”
Confucius said, “A good official establishes virtue; a bad official creates resentment. The leveling bar used with measures exists to make measurement fair; officials exist to make the law fair. Those who govern the state must not lose fairness.”
Tian Zifang traveled from Qi to Wei. Seeing Di Huang riding out in a noble carriage drawn by horses, he took him for Marquis Wen of Wei and moved his own carriage onto another road to avoid him. When he looked again, it was only Di Huang. Tian Zifang asked, “Why do you ride in such a carriage?” Di Huang replied, “When my lord planned to attack Zhongshan, I recommended Di Jiao, and the plan succeeded. When the campaign was about to begin, I recommended Yue Yang, and Zhongshan was captured. After Zhongshan was taken, my lord worried how to govern it; I recommended Li Ke, and Zhongshan was well governed. For these reasons my lord granted me this carriage.” Tian Zifang said, “The favor you receive is still meager compared with your merit.”
When Qin and Han attacked Wei, Zhao Mao went west to persuade them, and the armies of Qin and Han withdrew. When Qi and Chu attacked Wei, he went east to persuade them, and the armies of Qi and Chu withdrew. King Xiang of Wei supported him with the income of five chariots. Zhao Mao said, “Bo Yi was buried at the foot of Shouyang Mountain with the rites of a general, yet people in the world said, ‘With Bo Yi’s virtue and his reputation for benevolence, to be buried with only a general’s rites is as if his hands and feet were not properly covered.’ Now I have caused the armies of four states to withdraw, yet the king gives me only five chariots’ worth of support. Compared with my merit, this is like a man who has won great wealth yet still wears straw sandals.”
Shao Shizhou was an upright, incorruptible, and honest man of antiquity. He served as a strongman for Zhao Xiangzi. He wrestled with Xu Zi of Zhongmou and found himself inferior, so he entered and spoke to Zhao Xiangzi, recommending that Xu Zi replace him. Zhao Xiangzi said, “Your position is one that others desire. Why do you recommend Xu Zi to take your place?” He replied, “I serve my lord by means of strength. Now Xu Zi has more strength than I. If I do not recommend him to replace me, I fear that when others mention it, I will be held at fault.”
Another version says: Shao Shizhou served as Zhao Xiangzi’s attendant on the right side of the carriage. When they arrived at Jinyang, he met a strongman named Niu Zigeng, wrestled with him, and was defeated. Shao Shizhou said to his lord, “The reason you keep me as your attendant is that I have great strength. Now there is a man whose strength exceeds mine. I wish to recommend him.”
Note
This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 33.7 Legalist passage presents several tales, stresses fair legal judgments and matching rewards strictly to merit, exemplified by Zi Gao’s case and Shao Shizhou’s recommendation.
Han Feizi / Han Fei (c. 280–233 BCE):
A Legalist philosopher who argues that government should rely on clear laws, fair rewards and punishments, and proper matching of merit and position, rather than on personal favor or private loyalty.
Zi Gao (子皋):
A disciple of Confucius who served as a judicial officer. He punished a man by cutting off his foot, yet the man later saved him because he saw Zi Gao’s fairness and humane regret.
Foot-cutting punishment:
A corporal punishment in early China in which one or both feet were amputated. Han Fei uses it to show that just punishment need not create personal hatred.
Leveling bar (概):
A wooden bar used to level grain in a measuring container. Confucius compares it to officials who should keep the law even and impartial.
Tian Zifang (田子方):
A scholar associated with the state of Wei. His remark that Di Huang’s reward is “still thin” shows that rewards should match merit.
Di Huang (翟璜):
A minister of Wei. He received a noble carriage because he recommended capable men for planning, conquering, and governing Zhongshan.
Marquis Wen of Wei (魏文侯):
A ruler of Wei during the Warring States period, known for employing talented ministers.
Zhongshan (中山):
A small state attacked and conquered by Wei. Di Huang claims credit for recommending the key figures involved.
Zhao Mao (昭卯):
A diplomat who persuaded four states to withdraw their armies from Wei. He complains that five chariots’ worth of income is too little for such merit.
Five chariots (五乘):
A measure of reward or official income. Zhao Mao feels it is far below what his service deserves.
Bo Yi (伯夷):
Bo Yi was a legendary figure praised for moral purity. Zhao Mao uses his burial story to argue that honors must be appropriate to a person’s virtue and achievement.
Shao Shizhou (少室周):
An honest strongman who recommends a stronger man to replace him. Han Fei uses him to illustrate that officials should not hide superior talent.
Zhao Xiangzi (赵襄子):
A powerful minister of Jin and ancestor of the Zhao ruling house. He employs Shao Shizhou as a strongman and attendant.
Zhao Xiangzi was a leader of the Zhao clan in the late Warring States Period. He defeated the powerful Zhi clan in the Battle of Jinyang. His victory laid the foundation for the division of Jin into three states. He was wise and bold, yet also ruthless in political struggles.
Attendant on the right / 骖乘:
A close personal attendant who rides beside the ruler or noble in a carriage, often chosen for physical strength and loyalty.
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