Han Fei Tzu: Basic Writings

Born into the royal family of Han, a small state in ancient China, Han Fei Tzu wrote what many regard as the most polished account of Legalism, the school of thought that prized law, administration and strict control. His work survives as a practical manual for rulers, with a few sections aimed at the ministers who served them. Its main concern is how a ruler can keep the state intact and make it stronger.

The text covers the conduct expected of a ruler, the standards by which officials should be judged, and the proper uses of authority, punishment and reward. It also names the perils a ruler must avoid and the safeguards he should put in place. The tone is sharp, worldly and skeptical, which makes it read less like moral instruction and more like a frank guide to politics.

Han Fei Tzu's own fate is part of the story. His ideas reached the king of Ch'in, who went on to unify China and become its First Emperor, though the author never saw that rise. Sent to Ch'in as an envoy, he was first welcomed, then imprisoned on a rival minister's urging, and he died in prison. Readers have returned to the work in every era, and it still speaks to anyone who wonders how power is gained, used and kept.