Han fei zi biography definition

Jul 18, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald

Hanfeizi 韓非子 "Master Han Fei", initially called Hanzi 韓子 "Master Han" (the title was later changed to avoid confusion with the eminent writer and politician Han Yu 韓愈, 768-824), is the largest and most important of the treatises of the legalist school (fajia 法家) of ancient China.

It was written by Han Fei 韓非 (c. 281-233), a philosopher and politician of the Warring States period 戰國 (5th cent.-221 BCE).

Life and philosophy of Han Fei

Han Fei was a member of the royal house of Han 韓 and a disciple of the Confucian philosopher Xun Kuang 荀況 (Xunzi 荀子), together with Li Si 李斯 (d.

208 BCE), the later Counsellor-in-chief of King Zheng of Qin, the eventual First Emperor of Qin 秦始皇 (r.

Han fei zi biography definition

246-210 BCE). According to Han Fei's biography in the history book Shiji 史記, he tried to convince the king of Han to adopt reforms to strengthen the central government and the state, but the king refused. Han Fei thereupon started to write down his thoughts on the