SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

Legalism

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 48.6

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    This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 48.6 explains rules for evaluating ministerial speeches. Rulers must test rhetoric against practical results, resist mass‑opinion and eloquence bias, bar hedging proposals, and judge after emotional impulses fade to spot factional deceit.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 48.5

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    This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 48.5 stresses rulers’ secrecy and thoroughness. It contrasts subordinate‑ruler information‑processing modes, advocates mutual‑responsibility surveillance systems, and highlights combining repute with real reward‑punishment power to expose treachery.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 48.4

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    This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 48.4 explains the cross‑verification statecraft. It lists manipulative investigative tactics to break ministerial cliques, verify truth, deploy subordinates to monitor superiors, and keep state techniques strictly confidential.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 48.3

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    This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 48.3 analyses six chaos‑sources and five political disasters. It stresses divergent ruler‑minister interests, proposing hostage, generous salary and strict checks to curb internal‑external treacherous leverage and eliminate hidden plots.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 48.2

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    This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 48.2 states top‑grade rulers harness collective wisdom instead of personal power. Ministers’ proposals are recorded, tested against outcomes. Uniform consensus arouses suspicion; ministers should monitor one another under fixed standards.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 48.1

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    This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 48.1 argues governance must follow human desires for likes‑dislikes. Rulers should firmly hold power‑handles, enforce impartial, heavy rewards‑punishments, keep inner intentions concealed and bar private parties from legal judgments.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 47

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    This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 47 (Eight Sayings) criticizes eight popular private‑virtue praises harmful to state. It advocates objective legal standards, merit‑based official appointment and curbing over‑powerful ministers for national wealth and strength.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 46

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    This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 46 condemns reversed social values in governance. It warns private morality and factions erode royal power, advising rulers to prioritize impartial state law rather than unregulated personal reputations for political stability.

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 45

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    This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 45 (Gui Shi ‑ Perverting Directives) analyses three core state‑governing tools: benefit, authority and title. It blames disorder when rulers socially honour wrong conduct which undermines these Legalist instruments.