The art of setting up authority: Han Fei’s doctrine of Shi

ABSTRACT Shi is fundamental and indispensable in understanding Han Fei’s political philosophy. Han Feizi presents a political term with different meanings such as power, status, and situation. Han Fei’s doctrine of Shi attempts to consolidate and strengthen the prince’s Shi by limiting the subjects’ status and power. Any knighthood or government position must be granted by following suitable inheritance principles or appointment rules. The actual dominance of any person must be strictly matched with their rank of nobility or seniority of position. This hierarchy of dominance puts the prince at the top with unmatched power, who can then engage in coercion to eliminate anyone who is not submissive, and create terror to effectively control the subjects.