Han Feizi (book)

Han Feizi
"Han Feizi" in seal script (top), Traditional (middle), and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters
Traditional Chinese	韓非子
Simplified Chinese	韩非子
Literal meaning	"[The Writings of] Master Han Fei"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Hán Fēi zǐ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Harn Fei tzyy Wade–Giles Han2 Fei1 tzu3 IPA [xǎn féi tsɨ̀] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Hòhn Fēi jí Jyutping Hon4 Fei1 zi2 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Hân Hui chú Tâi-lô Hân Hui tsú Middle Chinese Middle Chinese ɦan pi tzí Old Chinese Baxter-Sagart *[g]ˤar pəj tsəʔ

The Han Feizi (Chinese: 韓非子; Old Chinese: *[g]ˤar pəj tsəʔ) is an ancient Chinese text attributed to foundational political philosopher, "Master" Han Fei. It comprises a selection of essays in the "Legalist" tradition on theories of state power, synthesizing the methodologies of his predecessors. Apart from administration, it touches on diplomacy, war and economics. Its 55 chapters are the only such text to survive intact, most of which date to the Warring States period mid-3rd century BC.

Han Fei's writings were very influential on the future first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. After the early demise of the Qin dynasty, Han Fei's philosophy was officially vilified by the following Han Dynasty. Despite its outcast status throughout the history of imperial China, his political theory continued to heavily influence every dynasty thereafter, and the Confucian ideal of a rule without laws was never again realized. Shu Han's chancellor Zhuge Liang demanded emperor Liu Shan read the Han Feizi for learning the way of ruling.

Though differing considerably in style, the coherency of the essays lend themselves to the possibility that they were written by Han Fei himself, and are generally considered more philosophically engaging than the Book of Lord Shang. They are also valuable for their abundance of anecdotes about pre-Qin China.

Han's worldview describes an interest-driven human nature together with the political methodologies to work with it in the interest of the state and Sovereign, namely, engaging in wu-wei (passive observation), systematically using Fa (law, measurement, statistic) to maintain leadership and manage human resources. Rather than rely too much on worthies, who might not be trustworthy, Han binds their programs (to which he makes no judgement, apart from observances of the facts) to systematic reward and penalty (the "Two Handles"), fishing the subjects of the state by feeding them with interests. That being done, the ruler minimizes his own input. Like Shang Yang and other Fa philosophers, he admonishes the ruler not to abandon Fa for any other means, considering it a more practical means for the administration of both a large territory and personnel near at hand.