HAN-FEI-TZU

died 233 BC, China Pinyin Hanfeizi the greatest of China's Legalist philosophers. His essays on autocratic government so impressed King Cheng of Ch'in that the future emperor adopted their principles after seizing power in 221 BC. The book that goes by Han-fei's name comprises a synthesis of legal theories up to his time. Additional reading Han-fei-tzu's writings, presumably compiled after his death, are entitled the Han Fei Tzu, comprising 55 sections of varying lengths. W.K. Liao (trans.), The Complete Works of Han Fei Tzu, 2 vol. (193959), is the only complete English translation; Burton Watson (trans.), Han Fei Tzu: Basic Writings (1964), translates 12 of the more important sections.Studies of Han-fei-tzu and his school of thought include: H.G. Creel, The Totalitarianism of the Legalists, in Chinese Thought from Confucius to Mao Ts-tung (1953), a perceptive account of legalism; Fung Yu-lan, Han Fei Tzu and the Other Legalists, in A History of Chinese Philosophy, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (Eng. trans. 1952); Liang Ch'i Chao, The Legalist School, in History of Chinese Political Thought During the Early Tsin Period (1930, reprinted 1968); and John C.H. Wu, Chinese Legal Philosophy: A Brief Historical Survey, Chinese Culture, 1:748 (1958).