"Han Feizi" is a foundational text of Legalism, a school of Chinese philosophy emphasizing strict laws and harsh punishments as the key to social order. Attributed to Han Fei (c. 280-233 BCE), a prominent Legalist thinker during the Warring States period, the book advocates for a strong, centralized state ruled by an impartial legal code. This edition offers insights into the political theories that shaped imperial China.
Han Fei's writings cover a range of topics, including governance, law, and diplomacy. He believed that human nature is inherently selfish and that only a system of rewards and punishments can motivate people to act in the best interests of the state. His work had a profound influence on Chinese political thought and practice, particularly during the Qin dynasty. This book remains relevant for understanding the historical context of Chinese governance.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.