Han Feizi – Chapter 48.5

An enlightened ruler’s essential task is to be thorough and concealed. If he readily shows pleasure, ministers will treat his favor as a reward to be repaid; if he readily shows anger, his authority will be divided. Therefore the words of an enlightened ruler are blocked and not easily penetrated; his intentions are thorough and not easily seen.

To infer ten unknown matters from one known fact is the way of subordinates. To arrive at one true judgment from ten signs is the way of the ruler. An enlightened ruler employs both methods, so that treachery has nowhere to hide.

Within the units of five, offices, lian, counties, and neighborhoods, those who report faults are rewarded, and those who conceal faults are punished. This applies from superiors to subordinates and from subordinates to superiors. Thus high and low, noble and humble, fear one another through law and admonish one another toward harmony.

Human nature includes both the reality of survival and the desire for reputation. The ruler possesses the name of wisdom and the reality of reward and punishment. When both name and reality are present, good conduct will surely be recognized and evil conduct will surely be punished.

Note

This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 48.5 stresses rulers’ secrecy and thoroughness. It contrasts subordinate‑ruler information‑processing modes, advocates mutual‑responsibility surveillance systems, and highlights combining repute with real reward‑punishment power to expose treachery.

Concealment of pleasure and anger:

Han Fei warns that visible emotions give ministers leverage. If they know what pleases or angers the ruler, they can manipulate him.

One to ten, ten to one:

Subordinates try to expand a small clue into many advantages; the ruler must compress many signals into one reliable judgment. This is a method of information control.

伍、官、连、县:

These are administrative and neighborhood units used for mutual responsibility. The exact sizes varied across periods, but the principle is that small groups monitor one another.

Mutual reporting:

Rewards for reporting faults and punishments for concealing them create a system in which people police each other.

Name and reality (名实):

The ruler needs both the reputation for wisdom and the actual power to reward and punish. Legalism often insists that titles, reputations, and real outcomes must match.

　　五、类柄

　　明主，其务在周密。是以喜见则德偿，怒见则威分。故明主之言隔塞而不通，周密而不见。故以一得十者，下道也；以十得一者，上道也。明主兼行上下，故奸无所失。伍、官、连、县而邻，谒过赏，失过诛。上之于下，下之于上，亦然。是故上下贵贱相畏以法，相诲以和。民之性，有生之实，有生之名。为君者有贤知之名，有赏罚之实。名实俱至，故福善必闻矣。