The Dao is vast and formless; virtue follows inherent principles and permeates all things. All living beings draw upon it selectively. All things flourish, yet the Dao does not disturb their natural peace.
The Dao pervades all affairs below. It defines mandates according to principles and rises or perishes with time. It verifies titles, distinguishes matters, unifies differences, and comprehends true conditions.
Hence it is said: the Dao differs from all individual things; virtue differs from Yin‑Yang; the balance scale differs from light and heavy objects; the plumb‑line differs from crooked and straight forms; harmony differs from dryness and dampness; the ruler differs from his ministers. These six distinctions all originate from the Dao.
The Dao has no duplicate, hence it is called “the One.” Therefore an enlightened ruler values upholding the singular Dao alone.
Ruler and ministers follow different principles. Subordinates seek duties through official titles; the ruler holds the standard of titles, while ministers deliver practical achievements. When deeds and titles match through inspection, superiors and subordinates live in harmony.
Note
Han Fei uses cosmic Daoist ideas to establish a political order: the ruler alone represents the singular supreme Dao; ministers serve through practical deeds; title‑performance inspection ensures stable hierarchical governance.
Han Fei
Core Legalist thinker of the late Warring‑States Period. This passage is excerpted from Upholding Authority (Yang Quan), integrating Taoist cosmic philosophy with Legalist political hierarchy.
Dao and the One (Yi)
Derived from Taoism: the Dao is the universal, formless, sole origin of all existence. For example, the Dao De Jing states that:
“The Dao produced One; One produced Two; Two produced Three; Three produced All things.”
Han Fei transforms it into a political principle that the ruler alone embodies this supreme unity.
Six Distinctions
Six analogies illustrate that the ruler is fundamentally different from ordinary ministers, just as abstract standards differ from concrete things. This justifies monarchical supremacy.
Title‑Performance Matching (Xing‑Ming)
Core Legalist statecraft: the ruler controls abstract titles and standards, while ministers carry out tangible tasks. Harmony comes from consistent verification.
Hierarchical Monarchy
Rulers and ministers do not share equal status. The ruler links cosmic Dao to earthly governance to legitimize absolute centralized power.
夫道者，弘大而无形；德者，核理而普至。至于群生，斟酌用之，万物皆盛，而不与其宁。道者，下周于事，因稽而命，与时生死。参名异事，通一同情。故曰：道不同于万物，德不同于阴阳，衡不同于轻重，绳不同于出入，和不同于燥湿，君不同于群臣。－－凡此六者，道之出也。道无双，故曰一。是故明君贵独道之容。君臣不同道，下以名祷。君操其名，臣效其形，形名参同，上下和调也。
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