Shen Dao

Shen Dao (c. 350 – c. 275 BC) was a mid Warring states period Chinese philosopher and writer. Noteworthy as a predecessor influencing both Han Fei and Daoism, his remaining fragments are the most substantial of any Jixia Academy scholar. In connection with the flourishing academy, he may have been well known; with references in the Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Huangdi Sijing, and later Huainanzi, he retained some individual significance into the early Han dynasty. He potentially influenced the Guanzi, and likely the Lushi Chunqiu.

As introduced by Feng Youlan, Shen Dao was early remembered modernly for his influence on the Han Feizi, most notably chapter 40, with regards the concept of shi (勢; 'power', 'potential', circumstantial advantage or authority). Sima Qian discusses him amongst the Jixia academy scholars, taking him as rooted in Huang-Lao (Daoism). Later classified by the Confucian archivists as Legalist together with others from the Han Feizi, he shares some comparable early administrative ideas with them, and was likely the most well known of them earlier in the Warring States period.

Xun Kuang criticized Shen Buhai as more focused on power, and Shen Dao as "obsessed by fa." Most of Shen Dao's work would appear to have concerned fa, a concept including administrative methods and standards as including laws, advocating that reward and punishment be based in fa rather than the ruler's judgements.

Making some discussion of law, in his time, Shen Dao argued the value of laws that are not good (不善) over no laws as still contributing to a more equitable distribution of goods and properties as preventing resentment, especially against the ruler. But he does prefer good laws, advocating that punishment and reward be proportionate rather than extreme. He still bases the appointment of tasks and officials in the ruler's discretion; Shen Buhai and Han Fei tried to base appointment in administrative method.

Although discussing reward and punishment like the more legalistic Shang Yang, he was otherwise more focused on administration, advocating their distribution through both laws and impartial administrative mechanisms. This tendency in some ways makes him him more comparable with administrator Shen Buhai. With Shen Dao early more well known, it is possible one might have known of or even influenced the other, but less likely either were familiar with Shang Yang, with the Han Feizi Shang Yang's first reference.