Legalism, or fajia (法家), the philosophical school that animated Wei Yuan’s Statecraft Anthology, rejected Confucian personal and political ethics. Traditional Confucian thought stressed loyalty, family, rituals, and harmony as the foundations of a virtuous ruler and a well-governed state. Legalists, by contrast, believe a ruler should be guided by two simple principles, “a wealthy country and a… Read more »
In 1826, Wei published his first major work, An Anthology of Statecraft Writings from the Present Dynasty. Recruited by a wealthy official to compile a collection of writings on government and policy, Wei made an unexpected choice. While Wei focused on works by Confucian scholars, he chose works that proposed practical, pragmatic solutions to China’s troubles…. Read more »
Wei was a precocious student, excelling at the early stages of China’s imperial examination system. His performance on the first stage of examinations, at the country level, identified him as one of the brightest young students in Hunan Province. His performance won him a fellowship to study for the highest levels of the examinations in… Read more »