Han Feizi

Author: Cai Zhizhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the royal courts of the various states had three main gates, named the Kou Gate, the Mao Gate, and the Lu Gate. In the Warring States period, the State of Chu stipulated that anyone entering the palace by carriage had to dismount and walk when they reached the Mao Gate and could not proceed all the way in a carriage. Once, the King of Chu urgently summoned the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince hurriedly took a carriage to go. It happened to be a day of continuous drizzle, and the roads were muddy and treacherous. The other routes were too far, so the Crown Prince decided to take the Mao Gate route. The administrator at the Mao Gate saw him and quickly stopped the Crown Prince's carriage, explaining, "No vehicles are allowed through the Mao Gate. Please get out of the carriage and do not commit illegal acts." The Crown Prince was frantic: "I didn't mean to, but the King urgently summoned me today, and the other routes were too difficult to take. I had no choice but to take this one. Please show some mercy and let me off." After speaking, he didn't wait for the administrator's reply and tried to drive through the Mao Gate. The administrator whipped his staff, not only severely beating the fine horse in front of the carriage but also destroying the carriage itself. The Crown Prince had no choice but to get out and crawl into the palace in the rain. Seeing his son's disheveled appearance, the King asked, "Why were you late?" The Crown Prince, remembering how hurtful the situation was, couldn't help but burst into tears: "Father Emperor, you must help me. It rained today, so I wanted to take a carriage and go through the Mao Gate. The administrator said it was illegal, and that was fine, but he actually beat my horse and destroyed my carriage. I am the Crown Prince, how could I suffer such humiliation? Father Emperor, you must kill him and avenge me!" The King smiled and said, "That boy is quite capable. Even when the late King was alive, he was stopped by him once. Now you've been stopped too. He is a virtuous and capable person, a loyal subject who abides by the law. I must properly reward him." With that, he immediately ordered the administrator to be praised and granted two noble titles. As for the Crown Prince, the King opened a back door and let him go. The Crown Prince, full of grievances, was about to leave when the King said to him, "Remember, don't drive through the Mao Gate in a carriage next time."
Dongye Guo Fan Yu served as the governor of Shangdi in the State of Zhao. While patrolling, he came to Shiqi Mountain and walked along a narrow path. As he went deeper, the path became even narrower, and on both sides stood sheer cliffs like walls, thousands of feet deep, terrifying to behold. Dongye Guo Fan Yu asked his subordinates, "Do ordinary people come to this place?" The subordinates replied, "Ordinary people don't have the courage to come here." He then asked, "Do those who commit crimes and act recklessly come here?" The subordinates answered, "Even if they glimpse the sheer cliffs, they would tremble with fear and naturally wouldn't dare to come." Dongye Guo Fan Yu sighed deeply and said, "I can now govern this place. If I enforce the law without exception, it will be like entering a deep chasm—certain death. Then no one would dare to break the law. Why wouldn't it be well-governed?" (From the 30th chapter, Inner Storehouse Sayings, Part 1)
Dongye Guo Fan Yu served as the governor of Shangdi in the State of Zhao and often went out on inspections. One day, he came to Shiqi Mountain and walked along a mountain path. As he went deeper, the path narrowed, and sheer cliffs like walls stood on both sides, thousands of feet deep, terrifying to behold. Dongye Guo Fan Yu asked his subordinates, "Do ordinary people come to this place?" The subordinates replied, "Ordinary people don't have the courage to come here." He then asked, "Do those who commit crimes and act recklessly come here?" The subordinates answered, "Even if they glimpse the sheer cliffs, they would tremble with fear and naturally wouldn't dare to come."