Han Fei

Han Fei was an ancient Chinese philosopher and the most prominent theorist of Legalism, a school that held that strong law, rewards, and punishments — not moral virtue — were the basis of effective statecraft. His ideas influenced the centralised governance of the Qin dynasty.

Han Fei synthesised the Legalist traditions of Shang Yang, Shen Buhai, and Shen Dao into a comprehensive political theory. His Han Feizi presents a ruthlessly realistic account of power: rulers are advised to rely on institutional law rather than personal virtue, which is rare and unreliable.