SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

Han Fei

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 9.2

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    Juan

    An enlightened ruler, when dealing with his inner‑palace women, enjoys their beauty yet rejects their pleas and forbids private requests.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 9.1

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    Juan

    Ministers employ eight stratagems to carry out treacherous plots.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 8.6

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    Juan

    To govern a state well, one must eradicate ministerial cliques. If cliques are not eliminated, they will gather followers. To manage land rewards properly, one must moderate grants. Without moderation, trouble‑makers will seek endless gains.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 8.5

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    Juan

    If a ruler is not unfathomable, subordinates will find opportunities to exploit him. When their deeds are improper, the ruler judges them by constant laws.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 8.4

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    Juan

    The way of listening to ministers’ words is to take what they outwardly state and use it to examine their inward deeds. Therefore, verify titles to define official positions, and clarify duties to classify affairs.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 8.3

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    Juan

    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.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 8.2

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    Juan

    The way of maintaining unity takes naming as the foremost principle. When names are upright, things are settled; when names are biased, things shift.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 8.1

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    Juan

    Heaven has its eternal laws, and human beings have their essential nature. Fragrant, delicate and crisp delicacies, rich wine and fatty meat please the palate yet harm the body. Soft‑skinned and white‑toothed beauties delight emotions yet drain vitality. Therefore, abandon excess and extravagance, and the self shall suffer no harm.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 7.3

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    Juan

    A ruler faces two disasters. If he appoints worthy men, ministers will exploit the reputation of worthiness to coerce him. If he promotes men arbitrarily, state affairs will collapse and fail.