Han Fei Tzu Research Articles

Viewpoints on Ruling by Law in The Philosophical Thought of Han Fei Tzu

Viewpoints on Ruling by Law in The Philosophical Thought of Han Fei Tzu

On Han Fei Tzu’s Thought of Crime Prevention

Crime prevention refers to the active intervention before the occurrence of crimes. Han Fei Tzu, a legalist during the pre-Qin period, viewed the suppression of criminal motives as the core of crime prevention, and brought out a series of measures to prevent crimes. In this paper, the author summarized his thoughts on crime prevention by analyzing his views on human nature, the causes of crimes, and crime prevention.

Three great books about power. Actual analysis of concepts

In this article, three books related to power were analyzed: Kitami Masao’s “The Swordless Samurai”, Han Feitzu’s “The Book of Law and Order” and N. Machiavelli’s “The Prince”. The main judgments were highlighted and conclusions were drawn on how each author understands the power. Similar and opposite conclusions were compared. Also, the reasons for the fundamental differences between these ideas are identified. Analysis of differences on a religious basis was made using the modern Agamben's work “The Kingdom and the Glory” as it touches on the relationship between religion and power. The study used an integrated cultural-philosophical approach, in which descriptive method, comparative analysis, and synthesis can be separated from each other. As a result of this work, the following conclusions were obtained: the difference in the functions of power leads to different understanding of power; the religious environment surrounding a person largely influences his understanding of power. Based on this, different concepts of power should be compared to identify common significant positions that demonstrate the nature of power relations.

한비자의 법치사상에 대한 현대적 고찰

한비자의 법치사상에 대한 현대적 고찰

Han Fei Tzu Allegory Seen from The Way of Creative Writing

Han Fei Tzu Allegory Seen from The Way of Creative Writing

A Brief Review on ‘bai(敗)’ in “Han Fei Tzu(韓非子)”

A Brief Review on ‘bai(敗)’ in “Han Fei Tzu(韓非子)”

Review on the Translation of Han Fei Tzu

Review on the Translation of Han Fei Tzu

Kautilya on Public Goods and Taxation

Joseph Schumpeter (1954) offered a very unflattering view of the contributions of ancient Chinese and Greek thinkers to economic analysis. It is apparent by now that he committed many errors of omission and commission. For example, Young Back Choi (1989) points out that Schumpeter discussed the contributions only of Chinese moral philosophers and omitted the contributions of the legalist Han Feitzu (280–233 BCE), who advanced many modern ideas related to “public choice variety.” Similarly, the pioneering work of S. Todd Lowry (1987) has refuted the judgments of Schumpeter regarding the contributions of the Greeks and also has challenged his views on the methodology and scope of economics, such as his exclusion of ethical and administrative issues from economics.1

The theory of persuasion in Han Fei Tzu and its impact on Chinese communication behaviors

This study explicates Han Fei Tzu's persuasive theory written in the third century BCE in China in the areas of audience adaptation, gaining trust, and face‐saving. The study also examines the influence of Han's theory on contemporary Chinese political and interpersonal communication behaviors. The study shows that although his theory is written for the social context in ancient China, Han's views on the human communication process as subtle, sophisticated, and inconsistent are still applicable and identifiable in today's Chinese communication behaviors. The author argues in the paper that China has varied philosophical traditions and that Chinese communication behaviors cannot be exclusively explained through a Confucian lens.

‘THE ART OF RULERSHIP’ CHAPTER OF THE HUAI NAN TZU: A PRACTICABLE TAOISM

‘THE ART OF RULERSHIP’ CHAPTER OF THE HUAI NAN TZU: A PRACTICABLE TAOISM

The Legalism of Han Fei-tzu and Its Affinities with Modern Political Thought

The Legalism of Han Fei-tzu and Its Affinities with Modern Political Thought

Han Fei's Theory of the "Rule of Law" Played a Progressive Role

Han Fei was a famous Legalist in the late Warring States period. During the struggle to criticize the Confucian school, he developed the theory of the "rule of law," which laid a theoretical groundwork on which the newly emerging landlord class could build a centralized feudal state. His works had been appreciated by Ch'in Shih-huang. When Ch'in Shih-huang read the book Han Fei Tzu, he sighed and said, "I would feel no regret about dying if I could meet this person and become his friend." Later Ch'in Shih-huang applied this progressive theory of Han Fei in practice and developed it through practice.

Warring States Confucianism and the Thought of Mencius

The general circumstances in which Confucianism developed during the century between the death of Confucius and the rise of Mencius and Haun Tzu may be observed in the Biographies of Confucians in the Shih-chi [Historical Records] and in the chapter entitled On Learning in Han Fei Tzu.

Editor's Note

In this issue, we see how sources from the Chinese People's Republic discuss the rise of the Legalist school, assess Han Fei Tzu's thought, and argue about Hsün Tzu's position. We also see how the mind-body problem has been approached from a dialectical-materialist point of view. However, in order to accentuate the great achievements of Confucius as a thinker, two papers from distinguished scholars in the Republic of China are also included.

The Crystallization of Pre-Ch'in Legalist Thought

Han Fei (c. 280-233 B.C.) was a fierce general in the anti-Confucian struggle of the late Warring States period and was also an outstanding pre-Ch'in Legalist theoretician. Han Fei Tzu, this piece of writing, which was critical of Confucius and full of a violently militant spirit, vividly recorded the course of the difficult combat of the landowning class which led to its victory over the slave-owning class. It summed up the historical experience of the struggle between the Confucian and Legalist lines during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods and expounded the theoretical foundation for establishing the unified, centralized feudal state. It was a work that crystallized Legalist thought. If we want to thoroughly criticize the doctrines of Confucius and Mencius advertised by Lin Piao, scientifically analyze the progressive role of the Legalists in history, and critically sum up the historical experience of the Legalists' criticism of Confucius, then it is helpful to make a modest study of Han Fei Tzu from the point of view of class analysis.

The Dialectic of Chih (Reason) and Tao (Nature) in The Han Fei-Tzu

The Dialectic of Chih (Reason) and Tao (Nature) in The Han Fei-Tzu

Reflections on Things at Hand. An ancient anthology of neo-Confucian thought translated and annotated by Wing-Tsit Chan. New York and London: Columbia University Press, 1967. Pp. xli, 441. $12.50. - Basic Writings of Mo Tzu, Hsün Tzu, and Han Fei Tzu. Translated by Burton Watson. New York and London: Columbia University Press, 1967. Pp. 452. $10.00.

Reflections on Things at Hand. An ancient anthology of neo-Confucian thought translated and annotated by Wing-Tsit Chan. New York and London: Columbia University Press, 1967. Pp. xli, 441. $12.50. - Basic Writings of Mo Tzu, Hsün Tzu, and Han Fei Tzu. Translated by Burton Watson. New York and London: Columbia University Press, 1967. Pp. 452. $10.00.

Errata Notices

In the November 1967 issue under Other Books Received Watson, Burton trans. Basic Writings of Mo Tzu, Hsun Tzu And Han Fei Tzu was incorrectly listed as to price, publisher and number of pages. It is published in one cloth bound volume by the Columbia University Press at $10.00 and contains 454 pp.Adele Rickett, a member of the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, was incorrectly given as a member of the faculty of Philadelphia University in the Errata Notice, page 691 of the May 1968 issue.A. K. Warder, a member of the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Toronto, was given an incomplete affiliation listing on page 371 of the February 1968 issue.

Basic Writings of Mo Tzu, Hsün Tzu and Han Fei Tzu

IntroductionHonoring the WorthyIdentifying with One's SuperiorUniversal LoveAgainst Offensive WarfareModeration in ExpenditureModeration in FuneralsThe Will of HeavenExplaining GhostsAgainst MusicAgainst FatalismAgainst ConfuciansIndex

Burton Watson (tr.): Han Fei tzu: basic writings. (Unesco Collection of Representative Works, Chinese Series.) ix, 134 pp. New York and London: Columbia University Press, 1964 $1.65, 12s.

Burton Watson (tr.): Han Fei tzu: basic writings. (Unesco Collection of Representative Works, Chinese Series.) ix, 134 pp. New York and London: Columbia University Press, 1964 $1.65, 12s. - Volume 29 Issue 3