ICONS EASTERN CANON · 東方
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You think like Han Feizi

The Lawgiver

You trust systems over people. Clear rules, clear rewards, clear consequences — then nobody needs to be a saint.

Strengths

  • Trusts rules over personal charm
  • Sets clear rewards and penalties
  • Does not wait for saints

Blind spot

A perfect rule cannot see the odd case standing in front of it. You may punish the letter of the system and miss why a sensible person broke it.

A move for you

Publish the rule and the penalty, and also name one way a person may appeal. A system people can query outlasts a system they only fear.

On the record

Legalist thinker (c. 280–233 BC) who joined law 法, technique 术 and positional power 势.

Full profile of Han Feizi

Rival and closest

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The other seven

亮 Zhuge Liang The Sleeping Dragon 孙 Sun Tzu The Sage of War 懿 Sima Yi The Long Game चा Chanakya Kautilya, the Kingmaker 織 Oda Nobunaga Tenka fubu 舜 Yi Sun-sin Chungmu — loyal and martial 汗 Genghis Khan The Unifier of the Steppe