Research OnHanfei’s Thought Of Lihai

In Chinese traditional ethical history, the relation between Yi and Li has always been highly regarded. As a category of ethics, Benefit (Li) and Harm(Hai) received relatively less attention. With the background of making the state prosperity and its military force effective, HanFei, as a representative of the pre-qindynasty Legalism, learned and absorbed the view of pre-Qindynasty philosophers on Benefitand Harm. Then he expounded his cogitation of the theory of Benefit and Harm that based on the theory of human disposition oriented to pursuit benefit and loatheharm. Moreover, he advanced the viewpoint that ruling the world must follow human disposition. But the human disposition’s authenticity is not equal to its legitimacy. Public benefit is the common goal of pre-qindynasty philosophers, including HanFei. Furthermore, he takes it as the guide of human disposition. Under the path of choice Law(fa)not Morality(de),HanFei take Law and Morality as the motion of Benefit and Harm, take utility as the weighing standard ofBenefit and Harm, and take coincidence with forms and contents as the method to weigh the size of Benefit and Harm.The theory of Benefit and Harm is both inherited and innovational in the theory of pre-qin dynasty Legalism on human disposition and the attitude of the Confucian moral type,and it has the important status in the system of Hanfei’s thought. Although hanfei’s thought is owing to limitations of the blood affection, but does not follow the rigid. It has the unique value that cannot be neglected. The ultimate goal of this article is expected to provide a new perspective of studying HanFei’s ethical theory, hope it could provide moral resources of harmonious society.