The Book of Lord Shang's 商君書 View on the Sage

The philosophical system of the Shangjunshu 商君書 (the Book of Lord Shang; hereinafter the BLS) can be understood by analyzing its theses concerning the concept of the shengren 聖人 (sage). Similarly, to other philosophical texts in Chinese philosophy, the BLS expresses its ideals through the concept of the sage, devoting a great deal of space to expounding on it rather than simply assimilating the ideal of a sage to that of any male of exceptional ability. In the BLS, the sage establishes laws, defines all things, and attains fuguo qiangbing 富國強兵 (state enrichment and army strengthening) by combining agriculture and warfare. Focusing on the BLS's theses on the sage, we can better understand the complex philosophy stated in this book and possibly gain insight into the directions that humanity should pursue.