The Yu Hsia 游侠 and the Social Order in the Han Period

Abstract

Ssti-ma Ch'ien ~:I~~,i~:, as well known, included a chapter Yu-h,sia llehchuaeph l~?*1~~U~i~ or " the eleemoers of the Yu hsia," in Shih chi, ~~~~"--flE specially for the purpose of displaying the merits of the yu-h,sia.2 The yu-hsia were described as plebeian heroes, who, being endowed with physical and moral courage, protected the people from dangers at the risk' of their lives. SsCi-ma Ch'ien highly admired the chivalrous temperament-the je~,ehsia I~~~~ spirit-of the yu-h,sia as a valuable factor in maintaining the social order based on the people's sentiment. In their deeds, however, the yu-hsia did not hesitate to infrings the State law,-sheltered criminals and refugees, and killed many in avenging relatives and friends. For this reason, historians upholding State authority as Pan Ku ~E~13, Hstu Ytieh ;~~t;~4, criticized the yu-hsia unfavorably as disturbers of State law, and regarded them as outlaws. Shon since the Chan-kuo ~~~l period the legalist such as Han Feitz~i ~~!~~~F, who had emphasized the strengthening and centralizing of the State power, had denouriced the yu-hsia as noxious worms which destroy the State.5