Perhaps this is a good moment to take stock. We know HanFei is narrowly focused on a single objective, the qualities and conduct of the man (sorry, ladies) whom destiny has called to rule and guide society. There is no room at all for mistakes, no stepping out of the zone. Nature lays the path to Heaven before us, if we would just follow. Set your needs aside, understanding this is not about you. Beware of those who would profess to have your interests at heart. As often as not, they are false. Easier said than done.
As HanFei’s ideas on wielding power are revealed, one cannot help but begin wondering what cauldron of cultural conditioning and superstition mixed with despair led to these theories, much less any confidence in their effectiveness. Yet we press on regardless. Looking in uncomfortable directions can fortify confidence to our own righteousness, and perhaps lead to fresh inspiration.
He (the ruler) does not try to tell others what to do, but leaves them to do things by themselves. He has provided the rules and yardsticks, so that all things know their place. Reward and punishment follow the deed; each man brings them upon himself. When compass and rule have marked out one corner of truth, the other three corners will become evident of themselves.
Confucius left us some teaching along this line, I believe, something about showing his students one corner and judging the best among them by their ability to deduce the other three. HanFei takes this up and twists to his own uses, seeming to reflect the more modern “let people hang themselves by their own rope.”
Oh, but to internalize his lesson, we have to accept the necessity of being risk-takers. The outcomes we crave are not guaranteed, the twisty paths leading to them obscured by the day’s random events, but still, having provided ourselves the rules, routines, and habits we have to stick to our place. Trust in the process, dare I say even have “faith”.
If the ruler is not godlike in his isolation, his subordinates will find ways to move him. If the management of affairs is not impartial, they will guess at his inclinations. He who can model himself on Heaven and Earth may be called a sage.
“Godlike”, huh? Now we come to the full revelation of HanFei’s expectations for the ruler of the state. Who among can stand and put himself/herself forward as the one individual who can be simultaneously all-knowing and yet entirely inscrutable? A more flawed understanding of human emotion and unconscious communication is hardly to be found in history.
Well... maybe the Stoics. (wink)
Yet our process and commitments stand to our internal defence once again. The algorithms with their tech overlords, and the lobbyists with their politicians, perhaps they can one day press a button, say just the right thing, and induce us to jump left or right. Perhaps we are reducible to digits, as malleable as formless putty, but until then they have a fight on their hands. We have the model, rooted in a strong sense of direction and trust in the correctness of our first steps.
Would you order the affairs of the palace? Would you order outside affairs? Delegate and be intimate with no one. Appoint one man to each office. Let no one do as he pleases... taking warning when there are many men gathered at the gates of ministers. The height of good government is to allow no means of your subordinates taking advantage of you. Make certain that name and result match, and then the people will stick to their posts.
Would you order the affairs swirling chaotically around you? Others have tried. We may try. Our lessons will be as those who tried before, attempting to control what won’t be. I would order my affairs. To make a contribution to the chaos, the best way is to name results (set expectations) and then head in that their direction. A lesson that perhaps only comes with age, is no one can order your affairs for you. So embrace that acceptance, fix your destination in your mind, and remember these wise words, “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” – Ursula K. Le Guin.
[Author’s Note: HanFeizi knew something about human nature, and he continues to teach. I have Burton Watson (2003) to thank for the translation. Find it here.]
[Author’s Note: Thank you for taking the time to visit. All pictures were taken by the author or family member, unless otherwise noted.]
Two things jump out: no one can order your affairs for you, and it's the journey that counts, not the end. Sometimes we need reminders of those...