If a ruler wishes to stop treachery, he must carefully verify the match between title and performance – that is, between ministers’ words and deeds.
A minister presents his proposals; the ruler assigns tasks according to those words and demands concrete achievements from the tasks.
Rewards are given if achievements match tasks and tasks match words; punishments are imposed if they do not.
Ministers who boast greatly yet achieve little are punished – not for small achievement, but for inconsistency between performance and claim.
Ministers who speak modestly yet accomplish far more are also punished. This is not because the ruler dislikes great merits, but because mismatched words and deeds bring greater harm than insufficient achievement.
Once King Zhaohou of Han fell asleep drunk. The official in charge of headwear noticed the ruler felt cold and covered him with a coat. When the king woke up pleased, he asked his attendants: “Who covered me?” They replied: “The headwear official.”
The king then punished both the official in charge of clothing and the headwear official.
He punished the clothing official for neglecting his duty, and the headwear official for overstepping his authority. The ruler was not unafraid of cold, but believed the harm of unauthorized power‑grabbing was far greater than cold itself.
Therefore an enlightened ruler controls his ministers such that they cannot seek merit beyond their official duties nor make inappropriate claims. Those who overstep duties shall be put to death; those who speak falsely shall be punished. When ministers keep to their posts and speak truthfully, they cannot form cliques or collude with one another.
Note
This passage stresses two essential Legalist rules: strict alignment of words and results, and strict separation of official duties, to prevent usurpation and factional collusion.
Leading Legalist thinker of the late Warring States Period. This passage is from The Two Handles (Er Bing), elaborating the statecraft of matching words with deeds and regulating official duties.
King Zhaohou of Han
Ruler of the State of Han, famous in Legalist texts for strictly enforcing official division of duties. His punishment of two minor officials became a classic political example.
Dian‑Yi & Dian‑Guan
Two minor court officials: one in charge of clothing, the other of headwear. Their case illustrates the principle of non‑overstepping official boundaries.
Matching Title and Performance (Xing‑Ming)
Core Legalist technique: verify whether ministers’ actual results match their promises and official titles. Both over‑performance and under‑performance are punished to maintain standardization.
Non‑Overstepping Official Duty
Strict division of official functions is emphasized. Even well‑intentioned actions beyond one’s post are forbidden, to prevent power‑grabbing and factionalism.
Rational Legal Governance
Legalism prioritizes institutional rules over personal kindness. King Zhaohou (Zhaohou of Han) ignores gratitude for warmth and punishes overreach, showing law above personal favor.
Anti‑Clique Strategy
Clear duty boundaries stop ministers from sharing power and forming cliques, safeguarding monarchical centralization.
人主将欲禁奸，则审合刑名；刑名者，言与事也。为人臣者陈而言，君以其言授之事，专以其事责其功。功当其事，事当其言，则赏；功不当其事，事不当其言，则罚。故群臣其言大而功小者则罚，非罚小功也，罚功不当名也；群臣其言小而功大者亦罚，非不说于大功也，以为不当名也。害甚于有大功，故罚。昔者韩昭侯醉而寝，典冠者见君之寒也，故加衣于君之上，觉寝而说，问左右曰：“谁加衣者？”左右对曰：“典冠。”君因兼罪典衣与典冠。其罪典衣，以为失其事也；其罪典冠，以为越其职也。非不恶寒也，以为侵官之害甚于寒。故明主之畜臣，臣不越官而有功，不得陈言而不当。越官则死，不当则罪。守业其官，所言者贞也，则群臣不得朋党相为矣。
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