Book of Lord Shang

E508312

The Book of Lord Shang is an influential ancient Chinese political treatise that systematizes Legalist doctrines of strict laws, centralized power, and state control to strengthen the ruler’s authority.

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Statements (51)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Chinese classic text
Legalist text
ancient Chinese political treatise
philosophical work
advocates promotion of agriculture
reward for military merit
state control over the population
associatedDynasty Qin NERFINISHED
associatedState State of Qin NERFINISHED
associatedWith Shang Yang NERFINISHED
attributedTo Shang Yang NERFINISHED
circulation transmitted in various recensions in imperial China
countryOfOrigin China
criticizes hereditary aristocracy
traditional feudal privileges
dateWritten 4th century BCE
emphasizes centralized authority of the ruler
collective responsibility
harsh punishments
standardization of administrative practices
strict and uniform laws
genre philosophical treatise
political treatise
hasPart chapter "Agriculture and War" (農戰)
chapter "Eliminating the Strong" (去強)
chapter "Establishing Laws" (立法)
chapter "Fixing Standards" (定分) NERFINISHED
chapter "Opening the Blocked" (開塞) NERFINISHED
chapter "Rewards and Punishments" (賞刑) NERFINISHED
influenced Qin dynasty state-building
Qin legal and administrative reforms
later Legalist thought
language Classical Chinese
mainSubject Legalism NERFINISHED
administration of the state
agriculture and war policy
centralization of power
law and punishment
military strength
political philosophy
statecraft
originalTitle 商君書 NERFINISHED
period Warring States period NERFINISHED
philosophicalSchool Legalism NERFINISHED
relatedTo Guanzi NERFINISHED
Han Feizi NERFINISHED
The Art of War NERFINISHED
status considered a core text of the Legalist canon
structure collection of chapters compiled over time
tradition Chinese Legalism NERFINISHED
transliteration Shangjun Shu NERFINISHED

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Lord Shang authored Book of Lord Shang
Legalism majorText Book of Lord Shang
Lord Shang workAttributedTo Book of Lord Shang