Han Feizi extends the jade metaphor: legal statecraft, like raw jade, is valuable yet opposed. Rulers must back reformers against elites.
Han Feizi tells He Shi’s jade story: true talent/statecraft is often misjudged and persecuted before its value is revealed.
Han Feizi uses Mi Zixia’s story: rulers’ favor shifts arbitrarily. Avoid their “forbidden scale” to survive persuasion.
Han Feizi uses three fables to show: knowing truth is easy, but speaking it safely – timing, context, trust – is hard.
Han Feizi lists persuasion risks: knowing secrets, exposing faults, misjudging tone – all can anger suspicious rulers.
Han Feizi warns persuaders to match rulers’ true motives: honor, profit, or both. Misjudging hidden desires leads to rejection.
Han Feizi states persuasion’s true difficulty is understanding the ruler’s mind, not one’s own wisdom or eloquence.
Han Feizi states ruler and minister interests clash. Powerful cliques, corrupt and foolish, deceive rulers and ruin states.