University of Virginia Library

THE BIOGRAPHY OF HAN FEI TZŬ

By SsŬ-ma Ch`ien[1]

Han Fei was one of the princes of the Han State. He was
fond of studies in penology, epistemology, law, and statecraft,
tracing his principles to the Yellow Emperor and Lao
TzŬ. Fei, being a habitual stutterer, was unable to deliver
fluent speeches, but proficient in writing books. While he
was studying with Li SsŬ under Hsün Ch`ing, SsŬ considered
himself not as successful as Fei. Fei, when seeing Han
dwindling and weakening, frequently submitted memorials
to the Throne and presented counsels to the King of Han.
The King of Han, however, was incapable of taking them
into use. Thereupon Han Fei was incensed with the ruler
who in governing the state never attempted to improve laws
and institutions; never attempted to make use of his august
position and thereby rule his subjects; never attempted to
enrich the state and strengthen the army; and, in choosing
personages, instead of employing worthies, elevated frivolous
and dissolute vermin and placed them in posts above men
of real merit. He alleged that the literati by means of letters
disturbed laws and the cavaliers by means of weapons
transgressed prohibitions; and that in time of ease the ruler
treated famous personages with great favour, but in case
of emergency he called armed warriors to the colours. Now

that those who had been fed were not taken into active service
and those who had been taken into active service were not
fed, Han Fei lamented for honest and upright gentlemen over
their inadmissibility to wicked and crooked ministers,
observed the changing factors of success and failure of the
preceding ages, and, accordingly, composed such works
as Solitary Indignation, Five Vermin, Inner and Outer
Congeries of Sayings, Collected Persuasions, Difficulties in
the Way of Persuasion, which altogether covered upwards
of one hundred thousand words. Though Han Fei knew
very well the difficulties of persuasion, wherefore his work
on the difficulties in the way of persuasion was very comprehensive,
yet he met an untimely death in Ch`in after all and
was unable to rescue himself from the final calamity. . . .[2]

Someone had introduced his Works in Ch`in. Reading
the Works, Solitary Indignation and Five Vermin, the King
of Ch`in exclaimed: "Lo! Only if I, the King, can meet
the author and become friendly with him, I would not
regret my death thereafter." "These are Works of Han Fei,"
remarked Li SsŬ.

Therefore, Ch`in launched an attack upon Han. At first,
the King of Han did not take Fei into service. When the
emergency came, he sent Fei as a good-will envoy to Ch`in.
The King of Ch`in liked him. Yet before he had confidence
in him and took him into service, Li SsŬ and Yao Ku did
an ill office to him. Before the Throne, they slandered him,
saying: "Han Fei is one of the princes of the Han State.
As Your Majesty is now thinking of conquering the feudal
lords, Fei will in the long run work for Han and not for

Ch`in. Such is the natural inclination of human nature.
Now, if Your Majesty does not take him into service, and,
after keeping him long, sends him home, it is to leave a source
of future trouble. The best is to censure him for an offence
against the law." Considering this admonition reasonable,
the King of Ch`in instructed officials to pass sentence on
Han Fei. In the meantime, Li SsŬ sent men to bring poisonous
drugs to Han Fei and order him to commit suicide. Han Fei
wanted to plead his own case before the Throne and vindicate
his innocence but could not have an audience with the King.
Later, the King of Ch`in repented and instructed men to
pardon him, but Fei had already died (233 b.c.). . . .