This excerpt is from Han Feizi · Achievements. It outlines four objective conditions for rulers to attain great feats. Rejecting Confucian over‑reliance on royal personal virtue, Han Fei puts forward a core political‑philosophical view: a ruler’s success hinges not merely on talent or morality, but on conforming to timing, public will, expertise and authority.…
This excerpt comes from Han Feizi · Employing People, a key chapter on forestalling disasters and the perils of pursuing distant solutions. Using vivid metaphors such as patching a crumbling house and distant water for a nearby fire, Han Fei argues that rulers should eliminate internal risks and employ nearby talents. Neglecting fundamentals brings…
This excerpt is from Han Feizi · Employing People, a pivotal chapter on the objectivity and de‑emotionalization of the rule of law. With the apt metaphor of archery and references to Yao, Hou Yi and Bi Gan, Han Fei presents a core political‑philosophical view: genuine rule of law must free itself from a ruler’s…
This excerpt comes from Han Feizi · Employing People, a key chapter arguing rulers should not seek far‑fetched solutions while neglecting what lies close at hand. Using hypothetical tales of King Yan and a man of Lu, Han Fei states a core political‑philosophical view: spurning native subjects to court foreigners wins no genuine loyalty,…
This excerpt is from Han Feizi · Employing People, a key chapter on the devastating damage emotional governance inflicts on ruler‑minister ties. Han Fei dissects how personal grievances fester into hidden resentment. He advances a core political‑philosophical view: rulers must not overburden subordinates nor base rewards and penalties on whims. Once values collapse, even…
This excerpt comes from Han Feizi · Employing People, a key chapter on how rulers avoid ministers’ resentment and foster sound sovereign‑minister relations. Drawing on Emperor Yao’s worries and Jie Zitui’s self‑sacrifice, Han Fei puts forth a core political‑philosophical idea: rulers should not morally coerce ministers, but motivate them via clear benefits and institutions.…
This passage is excerpted from Han Feizi · Employing People, the most pivotal chapter where Han Fei expounds the idea that institutions are superior to individual intellect. Through stark contrasts, he shatters the romantic illusion of “sage‑king governance” and articulates a fundamental political‑philosophical thesis: a sound institution is not a crutch for geniuses, but…