Han Feizi (Translations from the Asian Classics) [Paperback]

Burton Watson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0231129696 | ISBN-13: 978-0231129695 | Publication Date: April 15, 2003

Trenchant, sophisticated, and cynical, Han Feizi has been read in every age and is still of interest today when people are more than ever concerned with the nature and use of power. Han Feizi (280?-233 B.C.), a prince of Han, was a representative of the Fa-chia, or Legalist, school of philosophy and produced the final and most readable exposition of its theories. His handbook for the ruler deals with the problems of strengthening and preserving the state, the way of the ruler, the use of power, and punishment and favor. Ironically, the ruler most influenced by Han Feizi, the king of Qin, eventually sent Han Feizi to prison, where he later committed suicide.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Chinese

About the Author

Burton Watson is one of the world's best-known translators from the Chinese and Japanese. He received the PEN translation prize in 1981. His translations include The Lotus Sutra, The Vimalakirti Sutra, Ryokan: Zen Monk-Poet of Japan, Saigyo: Poems of a Mountain Home, and The Columbia Book of Chinese Poetry: From Early Times to the Thirteenth Century, all published by Columbia. This book presents Watson's renowned translation of a Chinese philosophy classic in pinyin romanization for the first time.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (April 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231129696
• ISBN-13: 978-0231129695
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #265,632 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For All Manager, May 14, 2006

By 

osprey "osprey" (Tokyo, JAPAN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Han Feizi (Translations from the Asian Classics) (Paperback)

I recommend this book to every manager regardless of his or her responsibility. Han Feizi(B.C.3.,China), a tragic prince of the small state of Han, is known as the patriarch of Fa-Chia, or the Leagalist. In his time, dozens of states were struggling for supremacy in China, and hundreds of philosophers presented the kings with their theories about how to rule and enrich the state. Among them, Mo-ists established their school. They thought the state goverened by the king with virture and humanity would flourish because people would follow him. On the other hand, Han objected against them, argued that the law with clear and consistent standards for punishment and favor was necessary for enriching the state and building up the defenses. According to him, the human nature, everyone pursuing one and one's loves' happiness sometimes too ambitiously, couldn't change no matter how their king was humane. Hence, whether the king was like saint or not didn't make sense. All what the ruler has to do is not to transfer the right to exsert the law in order to avoid power games in his state. Additionary, he thought that the law should be changed as the society was changing though the human selfish nature wouldn't change. He quoted historical facts and legends, made interesting fables to explain these ideas in his book. 'Han Feizi(Translations from the Asian Classics)' consists of the part picked out from his most famous productions, outline of early Chinese history, and introduction. It is easy to read. I'm sure that it will give new insight about what the power is and how to maintain it because Han's notion IS fresh even today and useful for every 'ruler.'

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A chilling classic, March 22, 2004

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Han Feizi (Translations from the Asian Classics) (Paperback)

Han Fei's "Legalist" writings on government may be the most brutal and amoral in China's long written history. I can't even call it vicious - his grasping, avaricious view of human nature displays the same bizarre innocence as a snake crushing a rat.

The Legalist school built itself around laws or duties that defined every part of life. Enforcement was rigid, both in punishment and in reward. This, oddly, was where the Legalists diverged from the duty-bound Confucians. Han Fei stopped short of openly criticizing Confucius, but would have reversed every Confucian decision based on compassion or familial bonds. (Han Fei's "everyone vs. the world" view accepted even wives, parents, and children as potential enemies.)

Although Legalist punishments were permanent and severe - mutilation or death - rewards were intentionally small. No farmer should ever have a reward that let him stop farming, no under-lord should ever have wealth that could support his own power base. A happy populace was important to Han Fei's government, but only because a satisfied peasantry was harder to stir to revolt. Han Fei also argued against a large educated class. That argument helped me understand (but not justify) purges in more recent history.

There is a lot more to say about this book, but I have to rein myself in. However repulsive I find Han Fei's philosophy, though, this book has given me plenty to think about. It's a slim book, Burton Watson's extracts from Han Fei's ouvre, but well chosen. Also, it is another sample of Watson's outstanding translations. I've read a number of Watson's works, and I find his translations uniformly well written. His scholarship appears impeccable, and he has done the English language a wonderful service by making these classics available.

I have to recommend this book to anyone who's read Macchiavelli. I don't expect any sane person with a trace of compassion to follow this way. I do hope that readers will let Han Fei teach them the signs of tyrrany. I take this book as a warning light that has shined for over 2000 years, and still illuminates current dangers.