Han Feizi

The Han Feizi (Chinese: 韓非子; Old Chinese: *[g]ˤar pəj tsəʔ) is an ancient Chinese text attributed to foundational political philosopher, "Master" Han Fei. It comprises a selection of essays in the "Legalist" tradition on theories of state power, synthesizing the methodologies of his predecessors. Its 55 chapters are the only such text to survive intact, most of which date to the Warring States period mid-3rd century BC. Though differing considerably in style, their coherency lends itself to the possibility that they were written by Han Fei himself. It is generally considered more philosophically engaging than the Book of Lord Shang.

Praxis

Han's worldview describes an interest-driven human nature together with the political methodologies to work with it in the interest of the state and Sovereign, namely, engaging in wu-wei (passive observation), systematically using using Fa (law, measurement, statistic) and penalty to maintain leadership and manage human resources. Rather than rely too much on worthies, who might not be trustworthy, Han binds their programs to systematic reward and penalty (the "Two Handles"), fishing the subjects of the state by feeding them with interests. That being done, the ruler minimizes his own input. Like Shang Yang and other Fa-focused Realists, he admonishes the ruler not to abandon Fa for any other means, considering it a more practical means for the administration of both a large territory and personnel near at hand. It is also valuable for its abundance of anecdotes about pre-Qin China.

Feizi

Feizi (Chinese: 非子; pinyin: Fēizǐ, died 858 BC), also known by the title Qin Ying (Chinese: 秦嬴; pinyin: Qín Yíng), was the founder of the ancient Chinese state of Qin, predecessor of the Qin Dynasty that would conquer all other Chinese states and unite China in 221 BC.

Mythical origin of Qin

According to the founding myths of Qin recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian by Han Dynasty historian Sima Qian, Feizi descended from the mythical Yellow Emperor and his grandson and successor Zhuanxu. Zhuanxu's granddaughter Nüxiu (女脩) gave birth to Daye (大業) after swallowing an egg of a swallow. Daye's son Boyi (伯益) was awarded the ancestral name Ying (嬴) by the mythical Chinese ruler Shun.

Ancestry

During the Shang Dynasty, Boyi's descendant Zhongjue was in charge of Xichui (西垂, also called Quanqiu, in present-day Li County, Gansu) in the midst of the Rong tribes. Zhongjue's son Feilian (蜚廉) and grandson Elai served King Zhou of Shang, and Elai was killed when King Wu of Zhou overthrew Shang and founded the Zhou Dynasty. Feizi's father Daluo (大骆) was the great-great-grandson of Elai. However, Daluo's legal heir was not Feizi, but his other son Cheng, because Cheng was born to Daluo's main wife, daughter of the Marquis of the state of Shen.