Han Fei & First Emperor of China
Han Fei (280–233 BC), who is called Kan Pi in Japanese, wrote some book which highly moved Ying Zheng, king of Qin, who was to be First Emperor of China in 221 BC.
And then Han Fei, a member of the royal family of Han, was sent to Qin as an envoy by the court of Han to maintain good relationship between the strong country Qin and the weak one Han. So, King Zheng invited Han Fei, a notable political thinker of the era, to his side to learn from him. In fact, all the utterance Han Fei issued moved the king. But as King Zheng showed so much goodwill to Han Fei, a minister called Li Si of Qin envied Han Fei. The minister who had once been a student in the same school where Han Fei had also learnt got afraid that he might be replaced by Han Fei. So, minister Li Si cast aspersions on Han Fei that he was a spy with a hidden plan to damage Qin. As there had been such a precedent case, King Zheng believed the false charge to put Han Fei into a jail. Then, Li Si went to the cell where Han Fei was put in. Li Si handed a poison to Han Fei, persuading him to commit a suicide. In order to avoid pain from cruel punishment, Han Fei took the poison and died. When King Zheng regretted having doubted Han Fei and tried to release the great scholar from the jail, it was too late.
Han Fei wrote: "Once there was a farmer in the country Sun. One day he saw a rabbit running and stumbling on a stump. The rabbit broke its neck and died. The farmer got the rabbit so easily. From the day on, the farmer sat around the stamp all day long waiting for other rabbits which never came. So, people of Sun all laughed at the farmer."
But why did this story move First Emperor of China when he was still King of Qin? It taught the future First Emperor of China that it was absurd to stick to old customs and traditional manners.
So, King Zheng loved revolutionary ideas unlike other kings of rival countries. It led to his conquest of ancient China to establish the first full-scale empire in the Chinese Continent.
Han Fei also specified for kings eight counter-measures against eight mishaps in the court:
1. Do not accept requests from women.
2. Do not allow close aids to speak freely.
3. Punish relatives if their advice turned to be useless.
4. Check why and how entertainment is offered and do not fully entrust the matter to subjects.
5. Provide benefits, if necessary, for people from royal assets and do not allow ministers and other subjects to personally provide benefits for people.
6. Listen equally to both the sides in discussion and do not let them conspire together.
7. Honor generals and soldiers according to their achievement but do not allow gangsters to appeal to arms in towns and do not allow ministers and other subjects to use them.
8. Do not accept irrational requests from other countries.
So, Han Fei meant that evil came from women, close aids, entertainment, provision of benefits to people, discussion, military and gangsters, and other countries. And it is well known that First Emperor of China adopted very stern application of law and maintained very stern administration and order. Indeed, it was against the spirit of Confucianism. First Emperor of China hated Confucians to kill many of them and burn many books of Confucianism. Accordingly after the death of First Emperor, the Qin dynasty collapsed (partly because Li Si betrayed the will of the emperor when he died).
Han Fei also specified for kings eight counter-measures against eight mishaps in the court:
1. Do not accept requests from women.
2. Do not allow close aids to speak freely.
3. Punish relatives if their advice turned to be useless.
4. Check why and how entertainment is offered and do not fully entrust the matter to subjects.
5. Provide benefits, if necessary, for people from royal assets and do not allow ministers and other subjects to personally provide benefits for people.
6. Listen equally to both the sides in discussion and do not let them conspire together.
7. Honor generals and soldiers according to their achievement but do not allow gangsters to appeal to arms in towns and do not allow ministers and other subjects to use them.
8. Do not accept irrational requests from other countries.
So, Han Fei meant that evil came from women, close aids, entertainment, provision of benefits to people, discussion, military and gangsters, and other countries. And it is well known that First Emperor of China adopted very stern application of law and maintained very stern administration and order. Indeed, it was against the spirit of Confucianism. First Emperor of China hated Confucians to kill many of them and burn many books of Confucianism. Accordingly after the death of First Emperor, the Qin dynasty collapsed (partly because Li Si betrayed the will of the emperor when he died).
It is truly interesting that Ying Zheng, king of Qin, who was not a man of virtue or genius could become First Emperor of China, though 100 years after the era of Alexander the Great.
Qin's Palace Rebuilt
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Joh 4:27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
Joh 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
Joh 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?