The Way is the beginning of the ten thousand things and the

Han Fei, the great Legalist philosopher of ancient China, once wrote: “The Way is the beginning of the ten thousand things and the guiding thread of truth and falsity.” In this saying lies the heart of wisdom both cosmic and practical. For Han Fei speaks not of “the Way” as a mere road or path, but as the eternal principle that gives rise to all things, sustains them, and judges them. The Way—known in Chinese thought as the Dao—is both origin and compass, both the womb of creation and the thread by which men discern what is true and what is false.

The origin of this saying rests in the ancient traditions of Daoist and Legalist thought, woven together in Han Fei’s writings. The Daoists taught that the Way is the mysterious source of life, the force that births the “ten thousand things”—a poetic phrase for all existence. Han Fei, though a Legalist who prized law and order, acknowledged this cosmic principle, but gave it a sharper edge. For him, the Way was not only the source of life but also the standard by which truth and falsehood are measured. A ruler who departs from the Way strays into chaos; a society that abandons it falls into deception.

History gives form to this teaching. In the Warring States period, when kingdoms battled endlessly for supremacy, many rulers trusted flattery, ambition, and illusion. They fell because they mistook falsehood for truth, guided not by the Way but by desire. Yet those who aligned themselves with the natural order, who governed with clarity and discipline, found strength. The Qin dynasty, though harsh, rose because it applied Han Fei’s Legalist principles with ruthless precision, aligning law and power with what he believed was the Way. This history reminds us that the Way is not gentle sentiment, but the harsh clarity of what is real.

But the lesson stretches beyond rulers to all of humanity. The Way is the thread that runs through life itself. In our own hearts, when we cling to illusions, we falter. When we deceive ourselves, we stray into suffering. But when we align with truth, when we let the Way guide us, we find stability. Just as a craftsman must follow the grain of wood, so must each person follow the Way in their choices, or else their work will splinter in their hands. The Way does not bend to our desires; we must bend ourselves to it.

Han Fei’s saying also speaks to the eternal tension between truth and falsity. For men are easily swayed by appearances, by words sweetly spoken, by hopes that blind the eyes. Yet the Way cuts through illusion. It is the thread that unmasks what is false, that reveals the difference between what is real and what is empty. To ignore this thread is to lose all judgment. To grasp it is to walk securely, even when the world is clouded in lies.

The lesson is plain: seek the Way in all things. Do not trust mere appearances, nor let emotions guide you into error. Ask always: does this accord with the deeper order of life? Does it reflect truth, or does it hide behind illusion? For in every age, people perish not because truth is absent, but because they mistake falsehood for truth. To cling to the Way is to see clearly, to act rightly, and to endure.

Practically, this means cultivating discipline, reflection, and humility. Do not be quick to believe the easy story. Do not be eager to grasp what flatters your desires. Look deeper. Test your actions against the natural order of justice, reason, and honesty. Whether you are a ruler or a simple worker, let the Way guide you, and you will not be led astray. For the Way is not distant; it is within and around you, whispering always, if only you are willing to listen.

Thus Han Fei’s words endure across centuries: the Way is the beginning of the ten thousand things and the guiding thread of truth and falsity. It is the source of life and the judge of all illusion. Let us, then, live not as those who stumble in the dark, but as those who walk with the thread of the Way in hand, steady and unwavering. For in the Way is both the beginning and the destiny of all things.