PHILOSOPHER

Han Fei

280 BC - 232 BC

Photo of Han Fei

Icon of person Han Fei

Han Fei (c. 280 – 233 BC), also known as Han Feizi, was a Chinese Legalist philosopher and statesman during the Warring States period. He was a prince of the state of Han. Han Fei is often considered the greatest representative of Legalism for the Han Feizi, a later anthology of writings traditionally attributed to him, which synthesized the methods of his predecessors. Han Fei's ideas are sometimes compared with those of Niccolò Machiavelli, author of The Prince. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Han Fei is the 153rd most popular philosopher (up from 164th in 2019), the 57th most popular biography from China (up from 61st in 2019) and the 8th most popular Chinese Philosopher.

Han Fei is most famous for his philosophy of Legalism, which advocates strict adherence to the law and harsh punishment for those who disobey.

Memorability Metrics

Loading...

Page views of Han Fei by language

Loading...

Among PHILOSOPHERS

Among philosophers, Han Fei ranks 153 out of 1,267. Before him are Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten, Isocrates, Proclus, Buddhaghosa, Emanuel Swedenborg, and John Venn. After him are Louis Althusser, Friedrich Schleiermacher, György Lukács, Clement of Alexandria, Max Stirner, and Max Scheler.

Most Popular Philosophers in Wikipedia

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Contemporaries

Among people born in 280 BC, Han Fei ranks 1. After him are Li Si, Livius Andronicus, Philo of Byzantium, Arsaces I of Parthia, Conon of Samos, Ariamnes of Cappadocia, Pyrrhus II of Epirus, Nicomedes, and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. Among people deceased in 232 BC, Han Fei ranks 2. Before him is Ashoka. After him is Cleanthes.

Others Born in 280 BC

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Others Deceased in 232 BC

Go to all Rankings
Load previous
  • Photo of Ashoka

    Ashoka

    POLITICIAN

    304 BC - 232 BC

    HPI: 85.09

    Rank: 1

  • Photo of Han Fei

    Han Fei

    PHILOSOPHER

    280 BC - 232 BC

    HPI: 75.88

    Rank: 2

  • Photo of Cleanthes

    Cleanthes

    PHILOSOPHER

    330 BC - 232 BC

    HPI: 72.30

    Rank: 3

Load previous

In China

Among people born in China, Han Fei ranks 57 out of 1,610. Before him are Mozi (-470), Hong Taiji (1592), Gao Xingjian (1940), Emperor Gaozu of Tang (566), Shunzhi Emperor (1638), and Li Ching-Yuen (1677). After him are Sun Quan (182), Yongzheng Emperor (1678), Guangxu Emperor (1871), Xun Kuang (-313), Liu Shaoqi (1898), and Sima Yi (179).

Others born in China

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Among PHILOSOPHERS In China

Among philosophers born in China, Han Fei ranks 8. Before him are Laozi (-604), Sun Tzu (-544), Zhuang Zhou (-369), Zhu Xi (1130), Mencius (-372), and Mozi (-470). After him are Xun Kuang (-313), Milarepa (1052), Shen Kuo (1031), Wang Yangming (1472), Han Yu (768), and Ban Zhao (45).

Chinese born Philosophers

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous