Ministers employ eight stratagems to carry out treacherous plots.
The first is sharing the bed. What does this mean? Favored queens, concubines, beloved young princes, and beautiful attendants are those who bewitch the ruler. Taking advantage of his leisure and drunken satisfaction, they ask for favors which he always grants. Ministers bribe them with gold and jewels inside the palace to mislead the ruler – this is sharing the bed.
The second is being near the ruler. Court jesters, dwarfs, and personal attendants echo the ruler before he speaks, anticipate his wishes, read his facial expressions to please him. They move in unison and speak with one voice to shift the ruler’s mind. Ministers bribe them with treasures, conduct illegal deeds outside, and let them influence the ruler secretly – this is being near the ruler.
The third is kinsmen and nobles. Royal princes and relatives are beloved by the ruler; senior ministers are his political advisors. They offer full‑hearted advice which the ruler often accepts. Ministers win over princes with music and women, persuade ministers with words, and promise higher ranks and salaries in exchange for loyalty, inciting them to betray the ruler – this is kinsmen and nobles.
The fourth is nurturing disaster. Rulers love luxurious palaces, terraces, ponds, and fine concubines, dogs and horses for pleasure – these are the ruler’s potential disasters. Ministers exhaust people’s labor to build grand palaces, levy heavy taxes to collect beauties and pets, indulge the ruler’s desires to cloud his judgment, and seek private gains in the process – this is nurturing disaster.
The fifth is winning commoners’ support. Ministers distribute public wealth to please people and grant petty favors to win popularity. Praised by both court and public, they block the ruler and fulfill personal goals – this is winning commoners’ support.
The sixth is popular persuasion. Rulers are usually isolated from public opinions and easily swayed by eloquent speeches. Ministers hire persuasive speakers from other states and within their own country, who deliver polished rhetoric for private interests, show benefits and threats, and spread false words to ruin the ruler – this is popular persuasion.
The seventh is private intimidation. A ruler gains power from ministers and common people. Ministers gather sword‑bearing fighters and desperate warriors to display personal might, promising rewards to supporters and death to opponents. They intimidate officials and civilians to pursue private goals – this is private intimidation.
The eighth is foreign influence. Weak states serve powerful ones; weak armies fear strong ones. Small states obey great powers’ demands. Ministers impose heavy taxes, empty state treasuries, and sacrifice national interests to serve powerful foreign states, using foreign pressure to coerce their ruler. In extreme cases, they station troops at borders to exploit people internally; otherwise, they send frequent foreign envoys to frighten the ruler – this is foreign influence.
These eight stratagems enable ministers to commit treachery and cause rulers to be deceived, coerced, and lose their sovereignty. Rulers must carefully observe against them.
Note
This passage reveals the comprehensive threats to autocratic rule: ministers can manipulate rulers through inner‑court connections, kinship, public sentiment, private violence, and foreign pressure. Rulers must guard against all eight treacherous strategies to maintain supreme power.
The core Legalist thinker of the late Warring‑States Period. This passage is excerpted from The Eight Treacheries (Ba Jian), a classic political text listing eight typical ministerial schemes to usurp royal power.
Eight Treacheries
A systematic Legalist summary of power‑usurpation tactics targeting rulers, covering inner court, kinship, public opinion, military force, and foreign relations.
Harem Politics (Sharing the Bed)
In ancient Chinese autocracy, royal concubines and princes often interfered in state affairs. Han Fei classifies them as the first threat to monarchical power.
Private Military Force (Private Intimidation)
Warring‑States ministers commonly kept personal bodyguards and assassins to pressure rulers, which Legalism strictly forbids.
Foreign Manipulation (Foreign Influence)
Powerful ministers often colluded with foreign states to blackmail domestic rulers, a major political risk in the multi‑state Warring‑States system.
Public Opinion Manipulation (Popular Persuasion & Winning Commoners’ Support)
Ministers use rhetoric and petty favors to shape public praise, isolating the ruler from public trust.
凡人臣之所道成奸者有八术：一曰同床，二曰在旁，三曰父兄，四曰养殃，五曰民萌，六曰流行，七曰威强，八曰四方。
何谓同床？曰：贵夫人，爱孺子，便僻好色，此人主之所惑也。托于燕处之虞，乘醉饱之时，而求其所欲，此必听之术也。为人臣者内事之以金玉，使惑其主，此之谓”同床”。二曰在旁。何谓在谤？曰：优笑侏儒，左右近习，此人主未命而唯唯，未使而诺诺，先意承旨，观貌察色以先主心者也。此皆俱进俱退，皆应皆对，一辞同轨以移主心者也。为人臣者内事之以金玉玩好，外为之行不法，使之化其主，此之谓”在旁”。三曰父兄。何谓父兄？曰：侧室公子，人主之所亲爱也；大臣廷吏，人主之所与度计也。此皆尽力毕议，人主之所必听也。为人臣者事公子侧室以音声子女，收大臣廷吏以辞言，处约言事，事成则进爵益禄，以劝其心，犯其主，此之谓”父兄”。四曰养殃。何谓养殃？曰：人主乐美宫室台池，好饰子女狗马以娱其心，此人主之殃也。为人臣者尽民力以美宫室台池，重赋敛以饰子女狗马，以娱其主而乱其心，从其所欲，而树私利其间，此谓”养殃”。五曰民萌。何谓民萌？曰：为人臣者散公财以说民人，行小惠以取百姓，使朝廷市井皆劝权誉己，以塞其主而成其所欲，此之谓”民萌”。六曰流行。何谓流行？曰：人主者，固壅其言谈，希于听论议，易移以辩说。为人臣者求诸侯之辩士，养国中之能说者，使之以语其私。为巧文之言，流行之辞，示之以利势，惧之以患害，施属虚辞以坏其主，此之谓”流行”。七曰威强。何谓威强？曰：君人者，以群臣百姓为威强者也。群臣百姓之所善，则君善之；非群臣百姓之所善，则君不善之。为人臣者，聚带剑之客，养必死之士，以彰其威，明为己者必利，不为己者必死，以恐其群臣百姓而行其私，此之谓”威强”。八曰四方。何谓四方？曰：君人者，国小，则事大国；兵弱，则畏强兵。大国之所索，小国必听；强兵之所加，弱兵必服。为人臣者，重赋敛，尽府库，虚其国以事大国，而用其威求诱其君；甚者举兵以聚边境而制敛于内，薄者数内大使以震其君，使之恐惧，此之谓”四方”。凡此八者，人臣之所以道成奸，世主所以壅劫，失其所有也，不可不察焉。
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