Han Feizi (韓非子) (d. 233 BC) was a philosopher who, along with Li Si, developed Xun Zi's philosophy into the doctrine embodied by the School of Law or Legalism. Himself a part of the aristocracy, Han Feizi was born into the ruling family of the state of Han during the end phase of the Warring States Period. Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC - 230s BC - 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC 180s BC Years: 238 BC 237 BC 236 BC 235 BC 234 BC - 233 BC - 232 BC 231 BC... A philosopher is a person devoted to studying and producing results in philosophy. ... Li Si (Chinese: 李斯; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Li Ssu) (ca. ... Xunzi Xún Zǐ (荀子, or Hsün Tzu c. ... Legalism is an approach to the analysis of legal questions characterised by abstract logical reasoning focusing on the applicable legal text, such as a constitution, legislation, or case law, rather than on the social, economic, or political context. ... The Han (simplified Chinese: 韩, traditional Chinese: 韓) was a state during the Warring States Period in China. ... Alternative meaning: Warring States Period (Japan) The Warring States Period (traditional Chinese: 戰國時代, simplified Chinese: 战国时代 pinyin Zhànguó Shídài) takes place from sometime in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by Qin in 221 BC. It is nominally considered to be the second part of the...

His philosophy centered on the ruler. In Han Fei's philosophy, the ruler firmly controls the state with the help of three concepts: his position of power (勢, Shi); certain techniques (術, Shu), and the laws (法, Fa). Han Fei's philosophy assumes that everyone acts according to one principle: avoiding punishment while simultaneously trying to achieve gains. Thus, the law must severely punish any unwanted action, while at the same time reward those who follow it. (compare: Legalism) Legalism is an approach to the analysis of legal questions characterised by abstract logical reasoning focusing on the applicable legal text, such as a constitution, legislation, or case law, rather than on the social, economic, or political context. ...

Apart from the Confucianist Xun Zi, who was his and Li Si's teacher, the other main source for his political theories was Lao Zi's Taoist work, the Tao Te Ching, which he interpreted as a political text, and on which he wrote a commentary (chapters 20 and 21 in his book, Han Feizi). He saw the Tao as a natural law that everyone and everything was forced to follow. Parallel to this, he envisioned that an ideal ruler made laws, like an inevitable force of nature, that the people could not resist. This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ... Xunzi Xún Zǐ (荀子, or Hsün Tzu c. ... Li Si (Chinese: 李斯; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Li Ssu) (ca. ... Lao Zi (Chinese 老子, also spelled Laozi, Lao Tzu, or Lao Tse) is a major figure in Chinese philosophy whose historical existence is debated. ... For other uses of the words tao and dao, see Dao (disambiguation). ... The Tao Te Ching (道德經, Pinyin: D Jīng, thus sometimes rendered in recent works as Dao De Jing; archaic pre-Wade-Giles rendering: Tao Teh Ching; roughly translated as The Book of the Way and its Virtue (see dedicated chapter below on translating the title)) is an ancient Chinese scripture... The Han Feizi is a work written by Han Feizi at the end of the Warring States Period in China, detailing his political philosophy. ... For other uses of the words tao and dao, see Dao (disambiguation). ...

His philosophy was very influential on the first King of Qin and the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, becaming one of the guiding principles of the ruler's policies. After the early demise of the Qin Dynasty, Han Feizi's philosophy was officially vilified by the following Han Dynasty. Despite its outcast status throughout the history of imperial China, Han Fei's political theory continued to heavily influence every dynasty afterwards, and the Confucian ideal of a rule without laws was never again realized. The Qin empire in 210 BC, during the Qin Dynasty. ... Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇) (November or December 260 BC - September 10, 210 BC), personal name Zheng, was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 247 BC to 221 BC, and then the first emperor of a unified China from 221 BC to 210 BC, ruling under the name First Emperor. ... The Qin Dynasty (秦朝 Pinyin Qín, Wade-Giles Chin; 221 BC - 207 BC) was preceded by the Zhou Dynasty and followed by the Han Dynasty in China. ... Han commanderies and kingdoms AD 2. ... This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ...

Han Feizi's philosophy experienced a renewed interest under the rule of the Communist Party during the leadership of Mao Zedong, who personally admired some of the principles laid out in it. Communist Party of China flag The Communist Party of China (Simplified Chinese: 中国共产党; Traditional Chinese: 中國共産黨; pinyin: ) is the ruling party of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Mao Zedong (December 26, 1893 – September 9, 1976; Simplified Chinese: 毛泽东; Traditional Chinese: 毛澤東; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Mao Tse-Tung) was the chairman of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China from 1943 and the chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China from 1945 until his death. ...

Han Feizi's entire recorded work is collected in the Han Feizi, a book containing 55 chapters. It is also important as the only surviving source for numerous anecdotes from the Warring States Period. The Han Feizi is a work written by Han Feizi at the end of the Warring States Period in China, detailing his political philosophy. ... Alternative meaning: Warring States Period (Japan) The Warring States Period (traditional Chinese: 戰國時代, simplified Chinese: 战国时代 pinyin Zhànguó Shídài) takes place from sometime in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by Qin in 221 BC. It is nominally considered to be the second part of the...

References

• Fung Yu-lan. A History of Chinese Philosophy. (translation by Derk Bodde). Princeton: Princeton University Press, ² 1952

In French:

• Cheng, Anne. Histoire de la pensée chinoise. Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 1997