This excerpt is from Explanation Two in Han Feizi · Inner Congeries of Sayings I, elaborating on “Canon Two: Certain Punishment”. Deterrence lies not in cruelty but in the certainty of penalty. Only when violations bring unavoidable consequences can the law establish its inviolable authority.
This excerpt is from “Canon Two: Inevitable Punishment” in Han Feizi · Inner Congeries of Sayings I. Han Fei holds that mercy poisons the rule of law. Unless penalties are certain – lawbreakers are caught and punished – decrees become hollow. Laws must gain inviolable authority through absolute certainty.
This excerpt from Han Feizi uses the mirror metaphor and two historical anecdotes: Ximen Bao wearing soft leather and Dong Anyu a bowstring. It advocates objective external standards for self‑correction, defining a wise ruler.