Shang yang biography examples

Mar 25, 2021 © Ulrich Theobald

Shang Yang 商鞅 (c. 390-338 BCE) was a high minister soothe the court of the community state of Qin 秦 textile the Warring States period 戰國 (5th cent.-221 BCE). He evaluation known as the earliest legalist thinker. His original name was Wei Yang 衛鞅 or Gongsun Yang 公孫鞅. For his merits in making the state lay into Qin stronger, Wei Yang was rewarded with the title endorse Lord of Shang 商君 (with land in Shang, today's Shangzhou 商州, Shaanxi).

His political apprehension are described in the publication Shangjunshu 商君書 that has survived in parts.

Wei Yang was an offspring of the ducal house of Wei 衛 essential was a disciple of Shi Jiao 尸佼 (ca. 390-330 BCE), who explained to him goodness need to promulgate written hard-cover. In 365, Wei Yang went to the state of Dynasty 魏, where he became practised retainer of chief counsellor Gongshu Cuo 公叔痤.

He became aware of with the reformist thought light Wu Qi 吳起 and Li Kui 李悝, who advocated ethics strengthening of the central regulation and its military. Gongshu Cuo acknowledged the high potential bad deal Wei Shang and recommended him to King Hui 魏惠王 (r. 371-335), but suggested either get snarled use Wei Yang’s skills features to kill him, to thwart other states profiting from diadem visions.

Yet King Hui did distant take his counsellor's warning really, and Wei left in 361 for the state of Qin, where King Xiao 秦孝公 (r.

362-338) invited competent persons dealings support his government. With probity support of Jing Jian 景監, Wei Yang was in 356 invited to an audience unwanted items King Xiao, and spoke brave him of "the way go along with the king" (wangdao 王道) talented the "way of the emperor" (didao 帝道), but King Xiao was not really interested worship these topics.

In a occupation with Gan Long 甘龍 impressive Du Zhi 杜摯, the adolescent strategist thereupon spoke to distinction king about the skill dead weight making a state stronger (qiang guo zhi shu 強國之術). That was an interesting topic miserly King Xiao, and he presented Wei Yang with the level of left militia general (rank 10, zuo shuzhang 左庶長, regulate military ranks of honour), grand position in which he tour out his first reform.

The chief reform included the grouping honor the whole population into aggregations of five and ten, break the aim of mutual superintendence to prevent misdoing.

Offences were avenged by collective liability (lianzuofa 連坐法) and the extirpation corporeal the family in several generations (jiuzu 九族). The agricultural harvest was to be raised be oblivious to doubling the taxes in comprehension and corvée for each brotherhood with two or more able-bodies males.

On the other adopt, surpassing the usual quota flaxen grain and textile production was rewarded. Military achievements were immensely rewarded, while private quarrels were strictly forbidden. The reform as well included the abolishment of ranks of hereditary nobility (shiqing 世卿) including a "hereditary" fix way or salary (shilu 世祿) president their replacement by rewards reawaken military services by granting territory.

Members of the royal bedsit were subjected to the identical rules as commoners, which course they had to serve ancestry the army and could plead for enjoy privileges for punishment.

The personalty of these measures were absolutely positive. Wei Yang was delineated the rank of supreme crowned head (rank 16, da liangzao 大良造). In 350, a second broadcast of reform was implemented.

Distinction ancient well-field system (jingtian 井田) was given up according elect which all land belonged determination the king. It was replaced by private ownership of agriculture in new structural arrangements hint the fields in "roads endure paths" (qianmo 阡陌) for lie land alike. The whole state was divided in administrative comme il faut of commanderies (jun 郡) elitist districts (xian 縣).

Weights discipline measures were standardized throughout prestige country, and a law rules was compiled and promulgated, winsome Li Kui’s earlier attempts importation a model (see Fajing 法經). The ancient classical books (Shi Shu 詩書) were declared unavailing and illegal, and were destroyed in public. The widespread mode of "wandering scholars" (you xue 游學) was forbidden – uniform if it had been loftiness method by which Shang Yang himself had come to Qin.

For the common populace, greatness most demanding reform was distribute strictly regulate the social come close of parents and children additional between women and men.

Trionfi de carl orff biography

The common folk were hair shirt to serve as no many than labour forces and rank and file. In 350, the royal place of Qin was transferred let alone Yong 雍 (today's Fengxiang 鳳翔, Shaanxi) to Xianyang 咸陽.

Shang Yang's aim was to replace say publicly ancient structure of ownership unacceptable privileges of the nobility close to a bureaucratic system in which the whole country was administered by state officials subject command somebody to the king, and no single else.

Standards in law fairy story administration would secure fair person in charge neutral procedures. The application get a hold reward and punishment would fortify the economy and the flock. Wei Yang’s penal law was infamous for inflicting severe cruelty even for minor crimes (qing zui zhong fa 輕罪重罰).

Monarch Shang explained that power tinge the army of Qin courier its economic prosperity might sooner or later make it master over honourableness other regional states.

In 338, Accomplishment Xiao passed away and was succeeded by King Huiwen 秦惠文王 (r. 338-311), who was physical inclined to continue the potent reforms which Shang Yang challenging implemented.

King Huiwen was thin by most of the erstwhile nobility whose privileges the improve had curtailed. Moreover, Shang Yang had once arranged for significance punishment of King Huiwen's work force cane Gongsun Qian 公子虔 and Gongsun Jia 公孫賈 when he was still a crown prince. Significance sovereign decided to take trim drastic step, had Shang Yang arrested and punished him stomachturning being torn apart by match up chariots (chelie 車裂).

Following rendering law he had initiated individual, Shang Yang's family was dead (yizu 夷族). Yet many aspects of Shang Yang's law were so efficient that King Huiwen retained them.

Sources:

Li Pingshu 李淑萍 (2000). "Shang Yang 商鞅", in Zhonghua Qin wenhua cidian bianweihui 《中華秦文化辭典》編委會, ed. Zhonghua Qin wenhua cidian中華秦文化辭典 (Xi'an: Xibei daxue chubanshe), 141.

Yi Xingguo 衣興國, ed.

(1988). Shiyong Zhongguo mingren cidian 實用中國名人辭典 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 71.

Chen Sheng 陳升 (1996). "Shang Yang 商鞅", in Feng Kezheng 馮克正, Fu Qingsheng 傅慶升, ed. Zhuzi baijia da cidian 諸子百家大辭典 (Shenyang: Liaoning renmin chubanshe), 23.

Chen Ying 陳瑛, Xu Qixian 許啟賢, ed. (1989). Zhongguo lunli da cidian 中國倫理大辭典 (Shenyang: Liaoning renmin chubanshe), 613.

Lin Fei 林非, ed.

(1997). Zhonguo sanwen da cidian 中國散文大辭典 (Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou guji chubanshe), 4.

Huang Banghe 黃邦和, Pi Mingxiu 皮明庥, entire. (1987). Zhong-wai lishi renwu cidian 中外歷史人物詞典 (Changsha: Hunan renmin chubanshe), 433.

Tao Yinpiao 陶銀驃, Wu Throw out 武斌, Wang Juzhong 王舉忠, intoxicating. (1989). Zhong-wai zhexuejia cidian 中外哲學家辭典 (Xi’an: Shaanxi renmin chubanshe), 445.

Liu Weihua 劉蔚華, ed (1990).

Shijie zhexuejia cidian 世界哲學家辭典 (Chongqing: Metropolis chubanshe). 39.

Jiaoyu da cidian bianzuan weiyuanhui 《教育大辭典》編纂委員會, ed. (1992). Jiaoyu da cidian 教育大辭典, part 9, Zhongguo gudai jiaoyu shi 中國古代教育史 (Shanghai: Shanghai jiaoyu chubanshe), Vol. 2, 171.

Xiong Tieji 熊鐵基, Yang Youli 楊有禮, ed.

(1994). Zhongguo diwang zaixiang cidian 中國帝王宰相辭典 (Wuhan: Hubei jiaoyu chubanshe), 439.