Ancient China · Statesman and Legalist

Shen Buhai 申子

First attested BC 475; died BC 337

Passages: 17
Chapters: 10
Histories: 6

Overview

Shen Buhai was a statesman and Legalist.

Life and dates

Death

BC 337 昭侯二十二年
Unspecified
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 45, passage 63

Attested activity

BC 475 to BC 221 BC 475-221
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 85, passage 72
BC 400 to BC 337 戰國
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 101, passage 150
BC 350 戰國
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 25, passage 153
BC 351 昭侯八年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 45, passage 60
BC 351 to BC 337 昭侯用為相…十五年
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 63, passages 48-49
BC 400 to BC 337 楊、墨、釋、老
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 298, passage 95

Show 3 more source-backed claims

BC 337 申不害
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 47, passage 82
BC 354 to BC 337 申商之法 (Shen Buhai's own career in the state of Han)
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 65, passage 174
BC 400 to BC 337 申子
Directly stated · Book of Liang 42, passage 117

Key source chapters

Career and standing

humble minister of Zheng 鄭之賤臣
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 63, passage 47
prime minister 相
Appointed
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 63, passage 48
chancellor of Han 相韓
Held · From Source Date: Text: 昭侯八年 · Western Year: BC 351
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 45, passage 60

Places and affiliations

Polity Han (Warring States) 韓 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 65, passage 174
Polity Han 韓 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 153
At Jing 京
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 63, passage 47

Learning and skills

Belief Huang-Lao 黃老 · Relation Based on
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 63, passage 51

Works and attributed material

Shen Zi (two chapters) 申子
Relation Author
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 63, passage 52
the laws of Shen 申之法
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Han 65, passage 174
Quotation · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Liang 42, passage 117

Events and relationships

Ordered state strengthened troops
Governance · Minister · At Han 韓
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 63, passages 49-50
Qin's laws took his methods as teacher
Intellectual · Source of law
Directly stated · Book of Han 65, passage 174
Relation Employed by · Organization Han state 韓
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 153
Relation Employed by · Person Marquis Zhao (韓昭侯)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 63, passage 48

Assessments and attributes

Assessment lowly and humble, applying himself to name and reality · Mode historian-judgment Speaker Sima Qian (司馬遷)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 63, passage 144

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Han 65, passage 174; Book of Later Han 85, passage 72; Book of Liang 42, passage 117

References in the histories

Search passages

History

17 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 25Volume 23: Treatise on Punishment and Law · 1 passage

陵夷至於戰國，韓任申子，秦用商鞅，連相坐之法，造參夷之誅； By Warring States times, collective-liability and extreme punitive innovations became standard in some states.

Book of Han, Chapter 58Volume 49: Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo · 1 passage

學申、商刑名於軹張恢生所，與雒陽宋孟及劉帶同師。 He studied the legalist doctrines of Shen Buhai and Shang Yang under Zhang Huisheng of Zhi, alongside Song Meng of Luoyang and Liu Dai.

Book of Han, Chapter 65Volume 56: Dong Zhongshu · 1 passage

師申商之法，行韓非之說，憎帝王之道，以貪狼為俗，非有文德以教訓於天下也。 It took the laws of Shen Buhai and Shang Yang as its teachers, followed Han Fei's doctrines, spurned the kings' Way, made greed a habit, and offered the realm no moral pattern.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 85Volume 77: Biographies of Cruel Officials · 2 passages

政严猛，好申、韩法、善恶立断。 His rule was fierce; he loved the legalism of Shen Buhai and Han Fei and judged guilt or innocence on the spot.

性严厉，好申、韩之学。 His temper ran severe, and he favored the legalism of Shen Buhai and Han Fei.

Book of Liang, Chapter 42Volume 42: Zang Dun; Zang Jue; Fu Qi · 1 passage

申子曰：「一言倚，天下靡。」 Master Shen said, "One leaning word, and the realm is swept along."

History of Ming, Chapter 298Volume 298 Biographies 186: Recluses · 1 passage

嘗言：「楊、墨、釋、老，聖道之賊，管、商、申、韓，治道之賊，稗官野乘，正史之賊，支詞艷說，文章之賊。 He once said: "Yang Zhu, Mozi, Buddhism, and Daoism are enemies of the sage's Way; Guan Zhong, Shang Yang, Shen Buhai, and Han Fei are enemies of good governance; unofficial histories and wild records are enemies of orthodox history; florid and seductive writings are enemies of true literature.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 47Volume 47 Biographies 28: Wang Rong, Xie Tiao · 1 passage

竊習戰陣攻守之術，農桑牧藝之書，申、商、韓、墨之權，伊、周、孔、孟之道。 I have studied the arts of attack and defense, books of farming and herding, the stratagems of Shen Buhai, Shang Yang, Han Fei, and Mozi, and the Ways of Yi Yin, the Duke of Zhou, Confucius, and Mencius.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 45House of Han · 2 passages

八年，申不害相韓，修術行道，國內以治，諸侯不來侵伐。 In the eighth year, Shen Buhai became chancellor of Han. He cultivated the art of statecraft and put good governance into practice. The state was well-ordered, and none of the feudal lords dared to invade.

二十二年，申不害死。 In the twenty-second year, the chancellor Shen Buhai died.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 63Biographies of Laozi and Han Fei · 6 passages

申不害者，京人也，故鄭之賤臣。 Shen Buhai was a man of Jing, formerly a humble minister of Zheng.

終申子之身，國治兵彊，無侵韓者。 Throughout Shen Buhai's lifetime, the state was orderly and the troops strong—none invaded Han.

申子之學本於黃老而主刑名。 Shen Buhai's learning was based on Huang Lao yet emphasized punishment and name.

著書二篇，號曰申子。 He wrote books in two chapters, called the Shen Zi.

申子、韓子皆著書，傳於後世，學者多有。 Shen Zi and Han Zi both wrote books that were transmitted to later generations—scholars have many of them.

申子卑卑，施之於名實。 Shen Zi was lowly and humble, applying himself to name and reality.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 101Biographies of Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo · 1 passage

學申商刑名於軹張恢先所，與雒陽宋孟及劉禮同師。 He studied the Legalist doctrines of Shen Buhai and Shang Yang under the elder Zhang Hui of Zhi, together with Song Meng of Luoyang and Liu Li.