This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 41 traces empty scholarly disputation to rulers’ lack of clarity. It advocates judging speech and deeds by practical utility, with law and commands as standards, rejecting pointless sophistries harmful to farming‑warfare state interests.
This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 38.5 criticizes Zichan’s detecting murder from a woman’s weeping. It argues rulers should rely on institutional systems, not personal cleverness, to uncover wrongdoing, citing the “great net” metaphor of governance.
Hou Yi (后羿), also known simply as “Yi,” is traditionally regarded as the chieftain of the Youqiong tribe of the Dongyi people during the Xia Dynasty (夏代东夷有穷部落), renowned for his exceptional archery skills. He once overthrew the rule of Tai Kang of the Xia Dynasty and seized the throne, but was ultimately killed due…
Han Feizi cites Hui Zi’s archery analogy: skilled Hou Yi earns strangers’ trust for steady shots, yet a kid with a cocked bow scares his own mother. Reliable outcomes build trust, while uncertainty drives people away.
Long ago, when the world was in great danger, ten suns appeared together in the sky. The intense heat burned crops, dried rivers, and made people suffer terribly. Many died from hunger and heat.