When an enlightened ruler controls his ministers, he makes it so that ministers cannot get credit for achievements gained by overstepping the bounds of their offices or make proposals and then fail to match them with actual achievements.
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Han Fei
Those who serve as ministers can be compared to hands: reaching up, they take care of the head; reaching down, they take care of the feet.
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Han Fei
The Way of an enlightened ruler is to make it so that no minister may make a proposal and then fail to match it with actions and results.
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Han Fei
The Way is the beginning of the ten thousand things and the guiding thread of truth and falsity.
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Han Fei
If ministers forget their ruler and establish relationships with foreign powers in order to advance the interests of their confederates, there will be scant reason for subordinates to obey their superiors.
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Han Fei
The ruler who possesses methods of government does not follow the good that happens by chance but practices according to necessary principles. Law, methods, and power must be employed for government: these constitute its 'necessary principles.'
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Han Fei
The object of rewards is to encourage; that of punishments, to prevent. If rewards are high, then what the ruler wants will be quickly effected; if punishments are heavy, what he does not want will be swiftly prevented.
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Han Fei
The intelligent ruler does not value people who are of themselves good without rewards and punishments. Why is that? The laws of the state cannot be neglected, and it is not one man who is being ruled.
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Han Fei
The duties of the ruler are like those of the helmsman of a great ship. From his lofty position, he makes slight movements with his hands, and the ship, of itself, follows his desires and moves. This is the way whereby the one may control the ten thousand and by quiescence may regulate activity.
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Han Fei
He who is vain and delights in his own ability is deceived by his inferiors. When he likes to bring forth arguments and kindliness, his inferiors take advantage of his abilities.
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Han Fei
A wise ruler, when he makes his laws, is bound to find himself in conflict with the world.
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Han Fei
A ruler of men faces two possible misfortunes: if he employs the worthy, the ministers will use worthiness as a pretext to rob their ruler of his power, but if he promotes men recklessly, his affairs will be neglected, and he will not prevail.
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Han Fei
A ruler makes use of the majority and neglects the minority, and so he does not devote himself to virtue but to law.
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Han Fei