Philosopher File: Guan Zhong

The roots of Chinese Legalist philosophy

Credit: A standing man. Watercolour by a Chinese painter. Credit: Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Guan Zhong was one of China’s earliest named philosophers. A sharp political operator, he rose from poverty to become Chancellor of the state of Qi. He is associated in particular with the philosophy of legalism.

Life