Han Feizi – Chapter 48.7

Offices become powerful when there is no law; law collapses when the ruler is obscure. If the ruler is obscure and lacks standards, officials act on their own authority. When officials act on their own authority, their emoluments become unprecedented; their exactions multiply; and through these exactions they grow rich. The wealth and power of officials are the source of disorder.

The way of an enlightened ruler is to employ people for tasks, to select officials by worthiness, and to reward by merit. If a proposal accords with the standard, the ruler is pleased, and both sides benefit; if it does not, the ruler is angered, and both sides suffer. Thus people will not favor their own fathers and elder brothers nor advance their enemies out of private feeling. When the ruler’s authority is sufficient to enforce law, and emoluments are sufficient to support official duties, private motives have no place to arise. Hence the people may toil, yet they regard office lightly.

Those entrusted with affairs should not receive excessive personal benefit; their honor must come from rank. Officials serving outside the court must not pursue private gain; their benefit must come from salary. Thus the people will honor rank and value salary. Rank and salary are the instruments of reward. When the people value what the ruler bestows, the state is well governed.

When punishments are diverse and names are confused, improper rewards and reputations make the people doubtful. The people’s regard for reputation equals their regard for reward. If a rewarded person is also criticized, reward fails to encourage; if a punished person is also praised, punishment fails to prohibit.

The enlightened ruler ensures that rewards arise from public benefit and that reputations serve the honor of the sovereign. Reward and praise move on the same track; blame and punishment proceed together. Then the people do not find glory merely in receiving rewards. Those who receive heavy punishment must also bear an evil name, so the people fear. Punishment is the means of prohibition. When the people fear what is prohibited, the state is well governed.

Note

This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 48.7 warns unchecked official power breeds chaos. It demands merit‑based appointments, aligning praise‑reward and blame‑punishment, ensuring rank‑salary are sole legitimate benefits and eliminating mixed public‑private signals.

Law and the ruler’s clarity:

Han Fei believes disorder begins when the ruler is “dark” or unclear. Without clear standards, officials turn public office into private power.

Offices, rank, and salary:

Rank (爵) and salary (禄) are not just benefits. They are the ruler’s main tools for directing behavior. Officials should desire them only through lawful service.

Public reward, public blame:

Rewards must be linked to public benefit, and punishments must carry social disgrace. If a punished person remains admired, punishment loses its deterrent effect.

Matching reward and reputation:

Han Fei insists that praise and reward should move together, just as blame and punishment should. Mixed signals confuse the people.

No private favoritism:

When the ruler applies standards consistently, people cannot advance relatives or protect friends through private influence.

　　七、听法

　　官之重也，毋法也；法之息也，上暗也。上暗无度，则官擅为；官擅为，故奉重无前；则征多；征多故富。官之富重也，乱功之所生也。明主之道取于任，贤于官，赏于功。言程，主喜，俱必利；不当，主怒，俱必害；则人不私父兄而进其仇雠。势足以行法，奉足以给事，而私无所生，故民劳苦而轻官。任事者毋重，使其宠必在爵；外官者毋私，使其利必在禄；故民尊爵而重禄。爵禄，所以赏也；民重所以赏也，则国治。刑之烦也，名之缪也，赏誉不当则民疑，民之重名与其重赏也均。赏者有诽焉，不足以劝；罚者有誉焉，不足以禁。明主之道，赏必出乎公利，名必在乎为上。赏誉同轨，非诛俱行。然则民无荣于赏之内。有重罚者必有恶名，故民畏。罚，所以禁也；民畏所以禁，则国治矣。