Shen Dao

Part of a series on
Chinese legalism
Figures Guan Zhong Marquess Wen of Wei Li Kui Duke Xiao of Qin Shang Yang Shen Buhai Wu Qi Shen Dao Zhang Yi Han Fei Li Si Qin Shi Huang
Han figures Jia Yi Emperor Wen of Han Emperor Wu of Han Chao Cuo Gongsun Hong Zhang Tang Huan Tan Wang Fu Zhuge Liang
Later figures Emperor Wen of Sui Du You Wang Anshi Li Shanchang Zhang Juzheng Xu Guangqi
Relevant texts Guanzi The Book of Lord Shang Shenzi (both books) Han Feizi Wuzi Wei Liaozi Annals of Lü Buwei Huang-Lao
Relevant articles Rectification of names Wu wei Discourses on Salt and Iron Criticize Lin, Criticize Confucius
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Shen Dao (c. 350 – c. 275 BC) was a mid Warring states period Chinese philosopher and writer. Noteworthy as a predecessor to both Han Fei and Daoism,^[1] his remaining fragments are the most substantial of any Jixia Academy scholar,^[2] and may have been well known.^[3] Early remembered modernly for his influence on the Han Feizi with regards the concept of shi (勢; 'power', 'potential', circumstantial advantage or authority), most of his work would appear to have concerned the concept of fa (administrative methods and standards) commonly shared by others that the Han Confucian archivists classified as "Legalist".

In his time, Shen Dao was more concerned with having laws, and argues the value of bad laws over no laws. However, he is otherwise more focused on administration, and can historically be compared more with administrator Shen Buhai than the legalistic Shang Yang. Xun Kuang recalls both of them, taking Shen Buhai as more focused on power, and Shen Dao more focused on fa, but neither may have been familiar with Shang Yang. Although discussing reward and punishment, Shen Dao advocates their distribution more through impartial administrative mechanisms or standards (fa) than laws.^[4]