When was Han Fei born and when did he die?
Han Fei lived from 280 BC to 233 BC during the Warring States period. He died in 233 BC after being forced to commit suicide by drinking poison.
Questions about Han Fei
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who were the teachers of Han Fei and Li Si?
Han Fei studied alongside Li Si under the Confucian philosopher Xun Kuang. This shared education created a bond that later turned deadly between the two students.
Why did King Ying Zheng regret the death of Han Fei?
King Ying Zheng read Han Fei's writings and declared he would die without regrets if he could make friends with this person. The king invited Han Fei to the Qin court but allowed his rival Li Si to force him to drink poison instead.
What happened to Legalism after the fall of the Qin dynasty?
After the early demise of the Qin dynasty, Legalism was officially vilified by the succeeding Han dynasty. Despite this outcast status throughout imperial Chinese history, Han Fei's ideas continued influencing every subsequent dynasty.
How does modern scholarship view the historical accuracy of Sima Qian's account of Han Fei?
Modern scholars like Masayuki Sato consider Sima Qian's literal details too dramatic but acknowledge the core narrative held truth. Sinologist Goldin stated that details of Han Fei's life were probably not far from the truth even if unimportant for interpreting the text itself.