Han Feizi advocates merit-based appointments. Favoritism and selling offices breed corruption, demoralize talent, and ruin states.
Han Fei advises rulers to stay calm and non-active. Verify ministers’ words against deeds, enforce impartial rewards and punishments without favoritism.
Han Fei cites history: brute force fails without wisdom. Qin has unmatched strength; he risks death to offer strategies to break alliances and unify China.
Han Fei blames Qin’s ministers for three blunders: sparing collapsing Zhao, failing to take Handan, wasting strength. Now Qin is weak, rivals unite.
Han Fei praises Qin’s strict laws, rewards and fearless soldiers. Yet worn arms, empty reserves and disloyal ministers stop it from achieving hegemony.
Han Fei mocks the anti-Qin alliance. Poor governance, empty treasuries, and unenforced rewards/punishments make them weak, destined to fail against Qin.
The maxim — “Intentional good deeds deserve no reward; unintentional wrongdoings warrant no punishment” — originates from Strange Tales from Liaozhai Studio: The Examination for the Post of City God (Candidate for the City God). It was Song Tao’s answer during his underworld examination.