Guanzi (text)

The Guanzi (Chinese: 管子) is an anonymous foundational Chinese political and philosophical text. Compiled in the early Han dynasty, the Han Feizi suggests earlier, similar versions as dating back to the late Warring states period. Despite its late dating, it is arguably one of the most representative texts of the concepts of political economy that developed during the Spring and Autumn period. At over 135,000 characters, it is one of the longest early Chinese philosophical texts, originally comprising 86 chapters, of which 76 survive. It covers broad subject matter, famously including price regulation of commodities via the concept of "light and heavy" (轻重). Ming dynasty agricultural scientist Xu Guangqi still frequently cited the Guanzi and Xunzi.

The Guanzi is named for and traditionally attributed to the 7th century BCE philosopher and statesman Guan Zhong, who served as Prime Minister to Duke Huan of Qi. It was, however, written by several anonymous authors. The precise date of creation remains subject to historical debate. It contains a wide variety of material from many different authors over several successive centuries, largely associated with the 4th century BCE Jixia Academy in the Qi capital of Linzi. But the Han dynasty scholar Liu Xiang did not edit the received Guanzi text until circa 26 BCE, compiling a new edition at that time.

The present text is "arguably a much later expression of ideas in the direction of the Han Feizi". None of its existing chapters would appear to predate the first century BCE, so that much of it would have been compiled after the Han Feizi. However, the Han Feizi is the first reference for both the Guanzi and the Book of Lord Shang. With Han Fei reputedly dying in 233 BC, a "proto-Guanzi" theoretically "took shape" in earlier form around 250 BCE, in the late Warring States period. Based on the Han Feizi, this earlier Guanzi might have already gone into broad circulation by that time alongside the Book of Lord Shang, becoming popular among the nobles.

Sinologist Masayuki Sato 佐藤將之 disagrees with attempts by translator Rickett and a "few other scholars" to date some chapters to the Han dynasty, but agrees with a late Warring States dating for most of the work, considering its "intellectual, cultural, political, economic, and social realities" reflective of the period. If Masayuki's judgement is correct, then the earlier version may have been quite similar, as the work already looks like a late Warring States text. Masayuki considers "Canonical Statements" its earliest chapter, only dating it as far back as the mid Warring states period.

Guanzi-type influences are dominant in the Huangdi Sijing, from the Mawangdui silk texts. Although Daoistic thought was thought not specifically favored by Qin state generals, if the Guanzi is taken as Huang-Lao, then, although controversial, it represents the kind of milieu that Sinologist Hansen (Stanford Encyclopedia) thought was already becoming dominant among the broader officialdom by the Qin dynasty, based on the silk texts. Dated back from the Han to the late Warring States period, Mark Edward Lewis believes that texts on self cultivation from the silk texts likely only went into broad circulation among the elites a couple generations after the Han Feizi, but earlier still belonged to a small elite.

Most chapters of the Guanzi deal with government and the art of rulership, but also contains chapters like the Daoistic Neiye. K. C. Hsiao took "Straight Thinking", and "Pure Heart" (chuan 13, essays 36–38; "Xin Shu" parts one and two, and "Pai Xin") as "clarifications of Huang-Lao ("Yellow Emperor Daoist") tenets". Although Liu Xin viewed the Guanzi as "Legalist" (Fajia), Ban Gu still listed it as Daoist in the Book of Han's Journal of Literature Chapter 30, which lists texts like Shen Buhai, Shen Dao and Han Feizi as 'Legalist'. The Guanzi was not listed as 'Legalist' until the Book of Sui's Journal of Writings, agreeing with Liu Xin rather than Ban Gu.

Sima Tan's concept of "Daoism" was one of syncretism; the later Confucians viewed the concept more as ruling just by vacuity. The Guanzi may later have been viewed as more Legalist partly because the Han Feizi mentions it alongside the Book of Lord Shang. Emphasizing techniques (Shu) of government, while the Guanzi does share with other texts later listed as Legalist a view of power as independent of morality, it still advocates (Fa), a broad concept including law, as an adjunct to Confucian Li, which is also a "core term" in the text.

Despite an "abundant" use of the term fa itself, the Huainanzi, Sima Qian and Liu Xiang took the Guanzi as more broadly focused on governmental measures and the restoration of political order, not specifically identifying it with fa or focusing on chapters that would be more relevant for it. Based on a selected quotation from "On Sherding the People" (牧民 Mumin), Sima Qian considered both proper measures (服度) and Li important for the state in the Guanzi, including ritual and moderation, adequate food and clothing, distinctions between honor and shame, and relationships and cardinal virtues.