38 Quotes by Han Fei

By looking at a person’s features, clothing, and speech, even Confucius would not be able to say what sort of a person he is. But by testing him in a position and seeing what he he does, even someone with so-so judgment would be able to know if he is wise or not.

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.

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

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.

The intelligent ruler does not value people who are of themselves good without rewards and punishments. Why is that? The laws of the state cannot be neglected, and it is not one man who is being ruled.

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.

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

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.

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.