The Chinese character fa (法), originally meaning “penalty,” refers to the legal system consisting of laws, decrees, and regulations. In ancient China, both fa and li (礼rite) set standards for individual behavior. In particular, rites rewarded virtue, while laws punished vice. It was generally accepted that while only a sovereign ruler had the r…
Governance based on morality, kindness and fairness is first proposed by Mozi (468?-376 BC), in contrast to lizheng (力政) meaning governance based on violence and coercion. This concept follows the “principles of the highest authority,” which in practice should be manifested by the big not bullying the small, the strong not crushing the weak, eq…
Delivering a wide range of benefits to the people and relieving the suffering of the poor is crucial for good governance. It requires that a ruler must treat his subjects with benevolence, be responsive to people’s needs and their difficulties and bring extensive benefits to them. Such a ruler deserves to be called a sage.