Borrow Han Feizi's eyes to see things in Ukraine

Wisdom in the classics

Han Feizi (280 BC – 233 BC) was a representative figure of the pre-Qin Fa and one of the three great disciples of the Great Confucian Xunzi (the other two being Li Si and Zhang Cang). After his ideas reached the Qin state, they aroused the strong interest of the Qin king Yingzheng (later Qin Shi Huang), who was forced to stay behind when he was sent to the Qin state and prepared to be entrusted with a heavy responsibility. However, his brother Li Si, fearing that Han Feizi would affect his position, framed Han Feizi and imprisoned him, and later forced him to commit suicide in prison. Han Feizi's works "Speaking Difficulty", "Lonely Anger", and "Five Beetles" were compiled into "Han Feizi", which has become one of the important classics of traditional Chinese culture.

Recently, war broke out between Russia and Ukraine, and several famous words in Han Feizi's "Death March" were frequently quoted to satirize the Ukrainian rulers. In the article "Death Sign", Han Feizi listed forty-eight signs of national subjugation, almost listing the main reasons that may have caused the fall of the country at that time. Although this article was written more than 2,200 years ago, its wisdom transcends history, and it is still inspiring to revisit the situation in Russia and Ukraine. The original text is longer and will be forwarded separately. Here is a rough list of the situations related to Ukraine for the reference of friends.

First, those who are forbidden by the simple law and are worried about it, and those who are in the wilderness and bully to help, can also die.

Countries that despise the rule of law and are busy with calculations, and who are absurd to domestic governance and blindly rely on foreign aid and support, may perish.

Ukraine's rule of law was abolished, and in 2014, right-wing forces engaged in street politics and overthrew President-elect Yanukovych, during which chaos broke out and illegal acts were not prosecuted. All kinds of political forces and politicians in Ukraine have carefully calculated their own interests, and no one really cares about the interests of the Ukrainian people. The Ukrainian rulers rely on the support of the United States and the European Union, regard the support of external forces as the legitimacy of their governance, and only the West is in the lead, and will inevitably face a crisis.

Second, the group of subjects is to learn, the door is good to argue, the merchants are outside the accumulation, and the small people are trapped inside, but they can also die.

Merchants hoard wealth abroad, the people's livelihood is poor, the people's lives are difficult, and such a country may perish.

Together with the war, 96 of Ukraine's top 100 richest people fled abroad, and the other four did not want to flee, because they were trapped in judicial bondage and could not leave the country, which shows the seriousness of Ukraine's "business accumulation". In contrast, Ukraine's domestic livelihood is depressed, and its per capita GDP will only be more than 3300 US dollars in 2021, less than one-third of Russia's, ranking first in Europe. You must know that Ukraine was a rich land during the former Soviet Union, and if it became what it is now, it is bound to face a crisis.

Third, those who are greedy and insatiable, and those who are near-profit and good-get, can also die.

Rulers are insatiable, mercenary, and only look at immediate interests, and such a state may perish.

Since 2014, ukraine's rulers have mostly been wealthy businessmen, with former presidents Yushchenko and Poroshenko both big businessmen and many greedy and unrighteous in the leadership. The current regime has exchanged names with the interests of Chinese enterprises to the West, unreasonably obstructed Chinese enterprises from legally acquiring Madasic companies, and frozen the equity of Chinese enterprises, causing huge economic losses to Chinese enterprises, but refusing to compensate, which can be described as "near profit and good", and the result is the loss of a strong friend.

Fourth, those who are close to their neighbors and are strong enough to save and insult the country that is forced to do so can perish.

A country that has strong foreign aid without friendship with its neighbors, and that it can bully its opponents with strong aid, may perish.

Ukraine is a typical "bullying and simple neighbor", relying on the support of the United States and the European Union, ignoring the interests of its powerful neighbor Russia, and even deliberately targeting it. Conniving at the persecution of ethnic Russians and other ethnic minorities by neo-Nazi forces in the country has caused uneasiness and anger in Russia. Despite Repeated Warnings from Russia, it insisted on trying to solve Luhansk and Donetsk by force, and finally provoked Russia to send troops.

Fifth, those who are detained by overseas Chinese, who are heavily exiled, who are scheming in the upper room, and who are civil under them, can also die.

Reuse foreign expatriates and spend a lot of wealth abroad. [These foreign people] can participate in the national strategy and intervene in civil affairs, and such a country may perish.

More than 80% of Ukraine's current leadership has US and EU citizenship, which can be described as a "prisoner of overseas Chinese" governance. These people spend Ukrainian money, represent the interests of the United States and the European Union, only care about elections, and the long-term interests of the Ukrainian people are not taken into account. Under their leadership, Ukraine is constantly moving closer to NATO, causing alarm and anger in Russia.

Sixth, the masters within the territory are not doing anything, but those who seek to be sealed outside the country do not test with their homework, but ask mistakes in their names, and those who are bound to travel to the throne and use the tomb to be common can also die.

If you do not appoint people from within the country and concentrate on recruiting people from outside the country; appoint officials who do not look at ability and achievement, but only look at reputation; the influence of foreign officials exceeds that of local officials, such a country may perish.

Ukraine is a country of more than 40 million people, which is a big country in Europe, and there is no shortage of local talents. However, its leadership, including middle- and lower-level officials, are mostly "American" and "European" Ukrainians, and their loyalty to Ukraine is very problematic. The appointment of Ukrainian officials does not depend on actual ability, only asks about political tendencies, pro-Western ones are used, and non-Pro-Western ones are not used. People who really care about Ukraine's interests don't have a chance to speak.

Seventh, those who have a big heart and no regrets, who are in turmoil and self-imposed, and who do not expect the resources within their borders and change their neighbors and enemies, can also perish.

Rulers are arrogant and unrepentant, countries are volatile and self-righteous, and they are ignorant of internal resources and despise their neighboring rivals, and such a state may perish.

The Ukrainian leadership is self-righteous, ignoring the fact that Ukraine is weak and politically unstable, ignoring the interests and concerns of its powerful neighbor Russia, and has turned its all-out terribly to the West, turning against Russia, which was originally a brotherly country. After the rupture of relations with Russia, it underestimated Russia's strength and will, blindly showed strength, and caused Russia to use military means in anger.

Eighth, the country is small and not humble, the strength is small and not afraid of the strong, the rude and insulting neighbor, the greedy and clumsy, can die.

Countries that are small but disrespectful, weak but have no reverence for the powerful, those who provoke powerful neighbors, those who are greedy and conceited and have poor diplomacy, may perish.

This article has recently become widely known and is fearful of cutting to the point where Ukraine is doing its best. Compared with Russia, Ukraine is far inferior in terms of population, land area, economic strength, and military strength, but it constantly challenges Russia like a mouse playing cat. It is inevitable that the signs of Russia's use of force will not stop in time when the signs of Russia's use of force are already obvious, and it is inevitable that lessons will be learned. After the war began, the Ukrainian authorities still pinned all their hopes on Western sanctions and interference. As everyone knows, if Western sanctions are useful, Russia will not send troops, and if it has already sent troops, it will not be afraid of sanctions; and Ukraine's weight in the West is only a pawn to suppress Russia, and it is impossible for the West to meet with Russian soldiers because of Ukraine. It is sad and ridiculous that the whole world understands this, but the Ukrainian rulers do not understand it.

Ninth, those who have no land, evil cities, no animal accumulation, few treasures, no preparation for defending war, and those who attack lightly, can also perish.

Without the advantages of the terrain, without strong cities, without national savings, with little property, without adequate defensive preparations and hasty attacks, such a country may perish.

Ukraine's location on the Great Plains of Eastern Europe facilitates the mobility of mechanized corps and has no topographical advantage. The national economy has been stagnant for many years, the people's livelihood is poor, the country's financial resources are limited, and the military equipment is old. In this case, its leadership did not focus on internal affairs, but with the encouragement of the West, it tried to eliminate the pro-Russian forces in the country by force and concentrate its forces on attacking Luhansk and Donetsk, but did not fully prepare for possible Russian military intervention, resulting in the current passive situation.

Tenth, the nobles are jealous of each other, the ministers are prosperous, the enemy country is external, and the people are trapped internally, so as to attack the complaining, and the lord of man can die.

Nobles fight each other, ministers are too powerful, external forces are used to trouble the people internally; in order to attack political opponents, and the monarch cannot be killed, such a country may perish.

For more than a decade, the Ukrainian leadership has oscillated between pro-Russian and pro-Western forces, each using foreign forces to attack each other, fighting for power and profit. Pro-Western forces have gained power in recent years, but this has led to problems in Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk and other places, and the chaos has further intensified. Policy mistakes are neither accountable nor feared for accountability, and the fundamental interests of the Ukrainian people are left unattended.

Han Feizi's list of "death marches" can correspond to the situation in Ukraine far more than the above ten, as well as "the state can die", "the next complainer can die", "the subject of infinite heart can die", and so on, only the corresponding ones are listed here.

The so-called "death march", there is one country may face a crisis, Ukraine has won so many articles, it can be seen that the depth of its crisis. If the Ukrainian leadership fails to seize the opportunity and actively respond to Russia's major interests and concerns, the future is worrying. Of course, most of these "expatriates" with foreign nationality may have gone away when they had nothing to do, but only suffered the Ukrainian people.

Han Feizi's article more than 2,000 years ago can cut to the point of Ukrainian shortcomings and make people sigh: If Ukraine has such an excellent traditional culture, will there still be such a situation? If the Ukrainian leadership had learned the political wisdom of these classics, would it still do so?

Excellent traditional culture is worth cherishing, and traditional wisdom is worth learning and learning.