Representative of the fachia, or legalist, school of philosophy, the writings of han fei tzu confront the issues of preserving and strengthening the state. Han fei tzus handbook for the ruler, which includes a few chapters for the guidance of his ministers, deals with the problem of preserving and strengthening the state. Han feizi basic writings pdf trenchant, sophisticated, and cynical, han feizi has been read in every age and is still of interest today when people are more than ever concerned with. Burton watson provides a new preface and a helpful introduction that places the philosopher in relation to chinese history and thought. His essays on autocratic government so impressed king zheng of qin that the future emperor adopted their principles after seizing power in 221 bce. Legalist views on good government november 14, 2016 elizabeth. Graduate institute eastern classics seminar reading list. Han feizis thought, i argue, contains a political theory that justifies principled, lawgoverned government.
To try to govern the people of a chaotic age with benevolence and lenient measures is like. Han fei tzu s handbo ok f or t he r ul er, whi ch i ncl udes a f ew. Hsun tzu, basic writings of mo tzu, hsun tzu, and han fei tzu, translated by burton watson columbia university press, sections 1, 2, 9, 17. Han fei saw the tao as a natural law that everyone and everything was forced to follow. Han fei tzu hanfeizi quotes the legalist fa chia school. Basic writings of mo tzu, hsun tzu, and han fei tzu. Representative of the fachia, or legalist, school of philosophy, the writings of han fei tzu confront the issues of preserving and strengthening. Basic writings translations from the asian classics. See all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and. As in the case of most early chinese philosophers, little is known of the life of han feizi, or master han fei.
Learn han fei tzu with free interactive flashcards. His lessons remain timely as scholars continue to examine the nature and use of power. Product details format paperback pages dimensions x x burton watson is the scholar for translating accessible versions in english of the chinese nasic, and with the mo tzu, he again delivers. Peng zhen on law and political authority in the prc2 2003. Han feizi, wadegiles romanization han feitzu chinese. A founder of the legist school fachia in ancient china. Neither man survived the qin conquest of the world. The first emperor of chin admired his writings and appears to have taken some of his advice to heart it was known for its brutal administration and lasted but a short time. His handbook for the ruler deals with the problems of strengthening and preserving the state, the way of the ruler, the use of power, and punishment and favor. His handbook for rulers was a practical guide for chinese rulers similar to the prince.
Its 55 chapters are the only such text to survive intact, most of which date to the. Legalism is considered to be one of the last chinese classical school of thought, but this school of thought has one of had a huge of influence on the political life during its time. Han feis strict methods were appropriate in a context of social decadence. Its 55 chapters, most of which date to the warring states period mid3rd century bc, are the only such text to survive intact. Arthashastra and han fei tzus basic writings on the advice. This edition exclude current affairs remind me of this book, as you start to see quotations of his appearing on social. Trenchant, sophisticated, and cynical, han feizi has been read in every age and is still of interest today when people are more than ever concerned with the nature and use of power. This barcode number lets you verify that youre getting exactly the right version or edition of a book. Mo tzu, hsn tzu, and han fei tzu were three of the most important philosophers in ancient china. Columbia university press, 1963 philosophy 140 pages. And his words have important lessons that can prove useful, even today, for our own politicians. Han feizi is a collection of writing attributed to han fei circa.
Potter, pittman, from leninist discipline to socialist legalism. Han feitzu had studied under the confucian scholar hsuntzu and became the major theorist of the legalist school. A key element of his theory is a solution to the problem of rectifying names. This edition brings this classic to a new generation of readers as it offers. Burton watson provides a new preface and a helpful introduction. Unlike the other famed philosophers of the time, han fei was a member of the ruling aristocracy, having been born into the ruling family of the state of han. We are fortunate, however, in the few facts we have, for they supply us with a motive and setting for his writings, and an account of his death which, whatever its reliability as history, adds a fine touch of dramatic irony. He recognized that the same word can have varying criteria of application depending on the purpose of the practice that requires a criterion. Political theory and linguistic criteria in h an feizis. Duke huan of chi was by nature jealous and fond of women hao nei, continuing to say, therefore, shutiao chinese text omitted castrated himself so as to be put in charge of the dukes harem. The qin were so successful that by 221 bce they had conquered the other chinese states and unified the empire after centuries of war. Han fei tzu was a scholar who propounded legalism a strict adherance to the law by way of benefits and punishments to create and maintain an efficient state. Elements of chinese legalist philosophy can be traced to the 7th century b. The following paragraph was taken from han feitzu, the book of master han fei, chapter 50.
Han fei tzu s handbook for the ruler, which includes a few chapters for the guidance of his ministers, deals with the problem of preserving and strengthening the state. Han fei, the geatest chinese legalist philosopher the east. To try to govern the people of a chaotic age with benevolence and lenient measures is like to drive wild horses without reins and whips. Jun 28, 2014 han feizis thought, i argue, contains a political theory that justifies principled, lawgoverned government. The confucius and han fei tzu read a free philosophy. This collection of their basic writings points to three very different positions within in the spectrum of chinese thought and reveals the diversity of of the chinese intellectual tradition.
Here you can compare the two on the subject of the rule of law. Han fei tzu was a scholar who propounded legalism a strict adherance to the law by way of benefits and punishments to. Basic writings collection unesco doeuvres representatives columbia asian studies series. When the king attacked han, fei was sent as a goodwill ambassador.
Han fei tzu rejected the confucian world view, including xunzis version, in its entirety. Basic writings by hsuntzu, 1964 online research library. Han feizi did not deny that there were ancient sages, a common belief shared by most people in china at that time. Apr 03, 2014 han feis ten lessons long before niccolo machiavelli wrote his nowfamous work of political philosophy, the prince, there was another man writing in a similar vein in china.
Pdf a critical comparison and contrast of machiavellis the prince. What little is known of the life of hsun tzu, or master hsun, is culled from evidence in his own writings and from the brief biography of him written by the historian. Han fei tzu s writings have been read in every age. What little is known of the life of hsun tzu, or master hsun, is culled from evidence in his own writings and from the brief biography of him written by the historian ssuma chien some hundred years or so after his death, which forms part of chapter 74 of the shih chi.
Ranslations from the oriental classics translations from the asian classics unesco collection of representative works. Basic writings 0th edition by burton watson translator 4. It comprises a selection of essays in the legalist tradition on theories of state. Han fei tzu is a representative of the school of philosophy known as fachia, the legalist or realist school. Han fei, unable to communicate with the ruler and defend himself against the charge of duplicity, drank the poison. Some criteria for a practice are good and some bad. The philosopher believed that a government and society that integrates punishment would always achieve maximum cohesion and developmental success as below.
First emperor of the chin, established the chin dynasty. Graduate institute eastern classics seminar reading list st. See all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Government power,chin,han king rare yellow cover paperback versionfei han, burton watson, columbia college columbia universitycolumbia university press, 1964 poetry 4 pages han fei tzu 280. Han fei tzu 280233 bce, a prince of han, was a leading philosopher of the legalist tradition in china. And burton watsons lucid and beautiful translation has been loved by generations of readers. Columbia university press 1964 abstract representative of the fachia, or legalist, school of philosophy, the writings of han fei tzu confront the issues of preserving and strengthening the state. He apparently suffered from a severe stutter, so he concentrated more on writing rather than success at court. Pdf in this short critical comparison between the three texts, a few points will. Han fei tzu article about han fei tzu by the free dictionary. Han feitzu article about han feitzu by the free dictionary.
Please use one of the translations carried by the bookstore. The thoughts and writings of this important fifth century b. Han feizi book project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. The writings of chuang tzu this book is taken from james legges translation the writings of chuang tzu, found in volumes thirty. Han fei was a 3rd century bce chinese prince from the legalist school of philosophy. The basic writings of chuang tzu have been savored by chinese readers for over two thousand years. Basic writings di mo, mo tzu, ti mo, hsun tzu, han. Han fei tzu basic writings paperback january 1, 1966 4.
Parallel to this, he believed that an ideal ruler made laws, like an inevitable force of nature, that the people could not resist. Chuang tzu, the book of chuang tzu selections per tutor. An official in the chin state, han fei wrote most of the chapters of the treatise han feitzu, which focused on the problems of managing an administrative apparatus. Han fei birthplacestate of han occupation philosopher han fei also han feitzu. Prepared for the columbia college program of translations from the asian classics. Sima qians writings are the closest records that exist from that time with regard to han feis life. Title, basic writings of mo tzu, hsun tzu, and han fei tzu. Choose from 9 different sets of han fei tzu flashcards on quizlet. Basic writings, columbia university press, new york, usa, 1964.
Han fei 280 233 bce was a lesser member of the han royal family. However, he believed that good people are the exception rather than the rule. Han feis ten lessons long before niccolo machiavelli wrote his nowfamous work of political philosophy, the prince, there was another man writing in a similar vein in china. It comprises a selection of essays in the legalist tradition on theories of state power, synthesizing the methodologies of his predecessors. Indeed, customs differ between the past and the present. A habitual stutterer, he concentrated his energy into written works, which gained favor with the king of chin. The hanfeizi, the book named after him, comprises a synthesis of legal. We are fortunate, however, in the few facts we have, for they supply us with a motive and setting for his writings, and an account of his death which, whatever its.