Fei Han

Born during the Warring States period, Han Fei was a Chinese philosopher traditionally dated to about 281–233 BC. He is best known as a leading figure of Legalism, a school of thought that argued a strong state should rely on clear laws, firm methods, and effective authority rather than personal virtue alone.

He is closely associated with the text Han Feizi, a collection of essays on politics, rulership, and statecraft. Those writings had a lasting influence on Chinese political thought, especially in discussions of how rulers maintain order and control.

Because he lived more than two thousand years ago, personal details about his life are limited and often mixed with later tradition. Even so, his reputation as one of the most important political thinkers of early China has endured.