Quotes from Han Fei

Superior and inferior wage one hundred battles a day.

The object of rewards is to encourage; that of punishments, to prevent. If rewards are high, then what the ruler wants will be quickly effected; if punishments are heavy, what he does not want will be swiftly prevented.

I believe it is impossible to be sure of anything.

No benefit is more constant than simplicity; no happiness more constant than peace.

He who claims to be sure of something for which there is no evidence is a fool, and he who acts on the basis of what cannot be proved is an imposter.

People are submissive to power, and few of them can be influenced by doctrines of righteousness.

Those who serve as ministers can be compared to hands: reaching up, they take care of the head; reaching down, they take care of the feet.

Within the frontiers of a state, there are no more than ten people who do good of themselves, whereas if one makes it so that the people can do no wrong, the entire state can be kept peaceful.

The severe household has no fierce slaves, while it is the affectionate mother who has the prodigal son.

The ruler who possesses methods of government does not follow the good that happens by chance but practices according to necessary principles. Law, methods, and power must be employed for government: these constitute its 'necessary principles.'

The Way of an enlightened ruler is to make it so that no minister may make a proposal and then fail to match it with actions and results.

When an enlightened ruler controls his ministers, he makes it so that ministers cannot get credit for achievements gained by overstepping the bounds of their offices or make proposals and then fail to match them with actual achievements.

A wise ruler, when he makes his laws, is bound to find himself in conflict with the world.

The duties of the ruler are like those of the helmsman of a great ship. From his lofty position, he makes slight movements with his hands, and the ship, of itself, follows his desires and moves. This is the way whereby the one may control the ten thousand and by quiescence may regulate activity.

The Way is the beginning of the ten thousand things and the guiding thread of truth and falsity.

If ministers forget their ruler and establish relationships with foreign powers in order to advance the interests of their confederates, there will be scant reason for subordinates to obey their superiors.

The severe household has no fierce slaves, but it is the affectionate mother.

A ruler of men faces two possible misfortunes: if he employs the worthy, the ministers will use worthiness as a pretext to rob their ruler of his power, but if he promotes men recklessly, his affairs will be neglected, and he will not prevail.

A wise man, when he writes a book, sets forth his arguments fully and clearly; an enlightened ruler, when he makes his laws, sees to it that every contingency is provided for in detail.

It is dangerous for a ruler to trust others. He who trusts others can be manipulated by others.

The intelligent ruler makes the law select men and makes no arbitrary appointment himself; he makes the law measure merits and makes no arbitrary judgment himself.

The people in the well-ordered ages of the past upheld the public law and abandoned private strategies; they focused their intentions and unified their conduct. Everything they did was for the sake of being employed by the ruler.

If a ruler can get rid of private crookedness and promote the public law, his people will become secure, and his state will become well ordered.

If you rely on political factions to promote men to office, the people will work to develop instrumental relationships and will not seek to be useful with regard to the law. Thus, a ruler who mistakes reputation for ability when assigning offices will see his state fall into disorder.