Han Feizi

Han Feizi

Han Fei

I have heard it said: “To speak recklessly without knowledge is a sign of foolishness; to possess knowledge but refuse to speak is a sign of disloyalty.” A minister who is disloyal deserves death, and one whose words are inappropriate likewise deserves death. Nevertheless, I am willing to present all my views, hoping that Your Majesty will judge whether my statements constitute an offense.

I have heard that the states of the realm, with Zhao at their center, have joined Yan to the north and Wei to the south, while seeking an alliance with Chu, strengthening their ties with Qi, and drawing Han into their ranks. Together, they have formed a north–south alliance, known as the Vertical Alliance, with the intention of advancing westward to oppose Qin with all their strength. Privately, I find their undertaking laughable.

There are three conditions that lead to the destruction of a state, and the states of the realm possess them all. Surely the present alliance against Qin exemplifies these conditions! I have heard it said: “When a disorderly state attacks an orderly one, it will perish; when a wicked state attacks a righteous one, it will perish; when a state that acts contrary to the natural order attacks one that follows the Way of Heaven and the will of the people, it will perish.”

At present, the treasuries of the various states are insufficiently supplied, and their granaries stand empty. Yet they have mobilized their entire populations and assembled armies said to number more than a million. Among their soldiers, more than a thousand have bowed before their generals and sworn that, wearing the feathers of warriors, they will fight the enemy to the death on the front lines. All declare their willingness to sacrifice their lives. But when the gleaming blades of the enemy appear before them, even though executioners stand behind them with axes and chopping blocks ready to cut down deserters, they nevertheless retreat and flee rather than fight to the death.

This is not because their people are incapable of fighting to the death, but because the rulers of the six states cannot inspire them to do so. These rulers promise rewards but fail to grant them, and threaten punishments but fail to enforce them. Because their rewards and punishments are unreliable, their soldiers are unwilling to risk their lives.

Qin, by contrast, promulgates laws and implements rewards and punishments, determining merit and wrongdoing according to verified facts. Thus, from the time the people of Qin leave the embrace of their parents and become independent, although they may never have seen an enemy in their lives, the mere announcement of war makes them stamp their feet with courage, bare their arms, brave the flashing swords of their enemies, tread upon the burning coals laid in their path, and rush everywhere to the front lines to fight to the death.

The determination to die in battle is entirely different from the desire to cling to life. The people of Qin willingly fight their enemies to the death because their ruler honors courage and the willingness to sacrifice one's life in combat.

One man determined to fight to the death can withstand ten enemies; ten such men can withstand a hundred; a hundred can withstand a thousand; a thousand can withstand ten thousand; and ten thousand men determined to fight to the death can conquer the entire realm.

At present, Qin's territory, when its irregular boundaries are taken into account, extends several thousand li in every direction. Its elite troops, renowned throughout the realm, number more than a million. No other state can equal Qin in the enforcement of laws, rewards, and punishments, or in the advantages afforded by its terrain. With these resources, Qin could conquer the entire realm, for the other states do not possess enough strength to resist being annexed and brought under Qin's control.

Thus, whenever Qin has engaged in battle, it has been victorious; whenever it has attacked cities or seized territory, it has succeeded; whenever it has confronted an enemy, that enemy has been defeated. Qin has expanded its territory by thousands of li. These are indeed magnificent achievements.

Han has served Qin for more than thirty years. In external affairs, it has acted as Qin's shield, blocking attacks from the states east of the Xiao Mountains; in internal affairs, it has served like a mat or cushion beneath Qin, humbly submitting itself to Qin's use.

Whenever Qin has sent its elite troops to seize the territories of other states, Han has followed behind as its support. Consequently, Han has incurred the resentment and hostility of the states of the realm, while the credit for victory has gone to powerful Qin.

Moreover, Han offers tribute and performs services for Qin in much the same manner as Qin's own commanderies and counties.

Now I have privately heard of a plan devised by powerful ministers to raise an army and attack Han.

But does Your Majesty realize that Zhao is gathering its troops, harboring advocates of the Vertical Alliance, and planning to combine the armies of the various states? Zhao's leaders proclaim everywhere that unless Qin is weakened, the other feudal states will inevitably perish. Their intention to advance westward and weaken Qin is no temporary scheme conceived in a day or a night.

If Qin now leaves Zhao, the source of its troubles, undisturbed and instead seeks to destroy Han, a state that serves Qin almost like a domestic minister, the other states will conclude that Zhao's strategy of forming an alliance against Qin is correct.

Han is a small state that must defend itself against attacks from every direction. Its ruler has endured humiliation, its ministers have suffered hardship, and both ruler and subjects have shared adversity for many years.

For this reason, Han has constructed defensive works to resist powerful enemies, accumulated supplies, built walls, and dug moats in preparation for a determined defense.

If Qin attacks Han now, it will be unable to destroy the state within a single year. If Qin captures one city and then withdraws, the other states will look down upon Qin's strength and will join together to destroy our armies.

Should Han turn against Qin, Wei will respond in support of Han, while Zhao will rely upon Qi as its rearward support.

In that case, Han and Wei will lend their strength to Zhao, and Zhao will rely upon Qi to consolidate its Vertical Alliance, preparing for a decisive struggle against Qin.

This would be a blessing for Zhao but a disaster for Qin.

If Qin advances to attack Zhao, it will be unable to win; if it retreats to attack Han, it will be unable to capture its strongholds.

The soldiers who penetrate deeply into enemy territory to assault fortified positions will suffer greatly in the field, while the transport units carrying military supplies will become exhausted by the burden of provisioning the army.

This would mean assembling a force of weary and weakened men to confront the combined power of Zhao and Qi, two great states possessing ten thousand war chariots each.

Such a strategy is certainly not a way to destroy Zhao.

If Qin truly follows the plans of those powerful ministers, it will inevitably become the target of military attacks by all the states of the realm.

Even if Your Majesty were to live as long as metal and stone endure before crumbling into dust, the day when Qin unites the realm would never arrive.

Now the humble and foolish plan I propose is this:

Send envoys to Chu with generous gifts to win over its ministers who hold power, and explain to them the ways in which Zhao has deceived Qin.

Send one of Your Majesty's close blood relatives as a hostage to Wei in order to reassure its rulers.

Then have Han follow Qin in an attack upon Zhao.

Even if Zhao and Qi unite closely, there will be little cause for concern.

Once the campaigns against Zhao and Qi have been completed, Han can be subdued with the mere dispatch of an official proclamation.