Han Feizi

Han Fei was born about 280 BC into the royal house of the state of Han, and studied with Li Si under Xunzi. He stammered and spoke poorly, but wrote superbly. Again and again he urged the king of Han to reform and strengthen the state, and when he was ignored he poured his indignation into writing. When the king of Qin, the future First Emperor, read his essays 'Solitary Indignation' and 'The Five Vermin', he exclaimed, 'If I could meet this man and be his friend, I would die without regret!', and Qin attacked Han to obtain him. Sent to Qin as an envoy, Han Fei was slandered by his jealous fellow student Li Si and forced to take poison in prison. After his death, it was by his teachings that the king of Qin unified China.