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Shang Yang (商鞅; Wade-Giles: Kung-sun Yang) (d. 338 BC) was an important statesman of Qin in the Warring States Period of ancient China. With the support of Duke Xiao of Qin, Shang Yang enacted numerous reforms (in accordance with his legalist philosophy recorded in The Book of Lord Shang) in the state of Qin that changed Qin from a peripheral, backwards state into a militarily powerful and strongly centralized state, changing the administration by emphasizing meritocracy and devolving power from the nobility. Image File history File links Zhongwen. ... 漢字 / 汉字 Chinese character in Hànzì, Kanji, Hanja, Hán Tá»±. Red in Simplified Chinese. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1520x2260, 2605 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Shang Yang Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1520x2260, 2605 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Shang Yang Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Wade-Giles, sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration) system for the Chinese language based on Mandarin. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC - 330s BC - 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 343 BC 342 BC 341 BC 340 BC 339 BC - 338 BC - 337 BC 336 BC 335... Qin or Chin (Wade-Giles) (秦), pronounced something like Shin, (778 BC-207 BC) was a state during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of 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) covers the period from sometime in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by the Qin in 221 BC. It is nominally considered to be the second part... Duke Xiao (孝公 Qín Xiàogōng) (381 - 338 BC), born Yíng Qúliáng (嬴渠梁), was a ruler of the State of Qin from 361 to 338 BC during the Warring States Period in China. ... Legalism, in the Western sense, is an approach to the analysis of legal questions characterized 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 Book of Lord Shang (Shang chün shu, Shangjunshu[1], or colloquially Shangzi; 商君書[2]) was an early Legalist work generally[3] attributed to the eponymous Lord Shang. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... // Nobility is a traditional hereditary status (see hereditary titles) that exists today in many countries (mainly present or former monarchies). ...

Reforms

Before Shang Yang's arrival in 361 BC, Qin was a backwards state. The vast majority of his reforms were taken from policies instituted elsewhere; however, Shang Yang's reforms were more thorough and extreme than those of other states. Under Shang Yang's tenure, Qin quickly caught up with and surpassed the reforms of other states. Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 410s BC 400s BC 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 366 BC 365 BC 364 BC 363 BC 362 BC 361 BC 360 BC 359 BC 358...

After Duke Xiao of Qin, posthumously Qin Xiaogong, ascended to the Qin throne, Shang Yang left his lowly position in Wei (to whose ruling family he had been born, but had to obtain a high position in^[1]) to become the chief adviser in Qin, at Duke Xiao's behest. There his changes to the state's legal system (which built upon Li Kui's Book of Law or Fajing, 法經) propelled the Qin to prosperity. His policies built the foundation that enabled Qin to conquer all of China, uniting the country for the first time and ushering in the Qin dynasty. Duke Xiao (孝公 Qín Xiàogōng) (381 - 338 BC), born Yíng Qúliáng (嬴渠梁), was a ruler of the State of Qin from 361 to 338 BC during the Warring States Period in China. ... The following details the state of Wei of the Warring States Period. ... Li Kui was the once an officer in the state of Wei. ... The Qin (Chin) Dynasty (Chinese: ; pinyin: Qín Cháo; Wade-Giles: Chin Chao) (221 BC - 206 BC) was preceded by the Zhou Dynasty and followed by the Han Dynasty in China. ...

He is credited by Han Feizi with the creation of two theories; Traditional Chinese: 韓非子 Simplified Chinese: 韩非子 Pinyin: Hán Fēizǐ Wade-Giles: Han Fei-tzu Han Feizi (韓非子) (d. ...

1. Ding Fa (定法; fixing the standards)
2. Yi Min (一民; treating the people as one)

Legalist approach

Shang Yang believed in the rule of law and considered loyalty to the state to be above that of the family.

Shang Yang introduced two sets of changes to the Qin state. The first, in 356 BC, were as concludes: Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 400s BC 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC - 350s BC - 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 361 BC 360 BC 359 BC 358 BC 357 BC 356 BC 355 BC 354 BC 353...

1. Li Kui's Book of Law was implemented, with the important addition of a rule providing punishment equal to that of the perpetrator for those aware of a crime but failing to inform the government; codified reforms into enforceable laws.
2. Stripped the nobility of land right and assigned land to soldiers based upon military success. The army was also separated into twenty military ranks, based upon battlefield success.
3. As manpower was short in Qin, Shang Yang encouraged the cultivation of unsettled lands and wastelands, and favoured agriculture over commerce
4. Shang Yang burnt Confucian books in an effort to curb the philosophy's influence.

Shang Yang introduced his second set of changes in 350 BC, which included a new, standardised system of land allocation and reforms to taxation. Military rank, or, more commonly, simply rank, is a system of grading seniority and command within armed forces or otherwise military-style organizations. ... This article is about the business concept. ... Confucian temple in Jiading district, Shanghai. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 400s BC 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC - 350s BC - 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 355 BC 354 BC 353 BC 352 BC 351 BC - 350 BC - 349 BC 348 BC 347...

Domestic policies

Shang Yang introduced land reforms, privatized land, rewarded farmers who exceeded harvest quotas, enslaved farmers who failed to meet quotas, and used enslaved citizens as rewards for those who met government policies. Land reform (also agrarian reform, though that can have a broader meaning) is an often-controversial type of government-initiated or government-backed real estate property redistribution, generally of agricultural land. ...

As manpower was short in Qin relative to the other states at the time, Shang Yang enacted policies to increase its manpower. As Qin peasants were recruited into the military, he encouraged active immigration of peasants from other states into Qin as a replacement workforce; this policy simultaneously increased the manpower of Qin and weakened the manpower of Qin's rivals. Shang Yang made laws forcing citizens to marry at a young age and passed tax laws to encourage raising multiple children. He also enacted policies to free convicts who worked in opening wastelands for agriculture. Manpower may refer to: Manpower, the number of personnel available for a task or tasks, also used when referring to such personnel as a resource (e. ...

Shang Yang abolished primogeniture and created a double tax on households that had more than one son living in the household, to break up large clans into nuclear families. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Shang Yang moved the capital to reduce the influence of nobles on the administration.

Diplomatic intrigue

During Shang Yang's tenure, the state of Wei was a highly powerful neighboring state. During a battle during the 340 BC invasion of Wei, Shang Yang feigned interest in a peace treaty, met with the commander of the Wei army and captured him. Without their leader, the Wei army easily lost to the army of Qin and lost territory. Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC - 340s BC - 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC Years: 345 BC 344 BC 343 BC 342 BC 341 BC - 340 BC - 339 BC 338 BC...

Shang Yang's death

Deeply despised by the Qin nobility, Shang Yang could not survive Qin Xiaogong's death. The next ruler, King Huiwen, ordered the execution of Shang Yang and his family, on grounds of rebellion; Shang had previously humiliated the new Duke "by causing him to be punished for an offense as though he were an ordinary citizen."^[2] Shang Yang went into hiding and tried to stay at a hotel. Ironically, the hotel owner refused because it was against Shang Yang's laws to admit a guest without proper identification. Shang Yang is said to have been executed by being fastened to four chariots and pulled apart. Despite his death, King Huiwen kept the reforms enacted by Shang Yang. Ruler of the Chinese state of Qin from 338 BC-311 BC he took the title of king rather than duke as his predecessors had. ... Hittite chariot (drawing of an Egyptian relief) Approximate historical map of the spread of the chariot, 2000 –500 BC. A chariot is a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle. ...

Historiography

Confucian scholars were highly opposed to Shang Yang's legalist approach.

See also

• The Book of Lord Shang
• Chinese philosophy
• Han Feizi
• Li Kui
• Qin
• Qin Dynasty
• Warring States Period

The Book of Lord Shang (Shang chün shu, Shangjunshu[1], or colloquially Shangzi; 商君書[2]) was an early Legalist work generally[3] attributed to the eponymous Lord Shang. ... Yin Yang symbol and Ba gua paved in a clearing outside of Nanning City, Guangxi province, China. ... Traditional Chinese: 韓非子 Simplified Chinese: 韩非子 Pinyin: Hán Fēizǐ Wade-Giles: Han Fei-tzu Han Feizi (韓非子) (d. ... Li Kui was the once an officer in the state of Wei. ... Qin or Chin (Wade-Giles) (秦), pronounced something like Shin, (778 BC-207 BC) was a state during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of China. ... The Qin (Chin) Dynasty (Chinese: ; pinyin: Qín Cháo; Wade-Giles: Chin Chao) (221 BC - 206 BC) was preceded by the Zhou Dynasty and followed by the Han Dynasty 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) covers the period from sometime in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by the Qin in 221 BC. It is nominally considered to be the second part...

References

• 国史概要 (第二版) ISBN 7-309-02481-8
• 戰國策 (Record of the Warring States), 秦第一

1. ^ pg 79 of Classical China
2. ^ pg 80 of Classical China, ed. William H. McNeill and Jean W. Sedlar, Oxford University Press, 1970. LCCN: 68-8409

Zhanguoce (simplified Chinese: 战国策, traditional Chinese: 戰國策, pinyin: Zhànguócè) (ZGC) was a renowned ancient Chinese historical work on the Warring States Period compiled in late Western Han Dynasty by Liu Xiang (劉向). It is an important literature in the research of Warring States... Oxford University Press (OUP) is a highly-respected publishing house and a department of the University of Oxford in England. ...

External links

• Hong Kong University Philosophy Department, Lord Shang
• 戰國策 秦第一
• Works by Shang Yang at Project Gutenberg (in Chinese)
• [1]