Lisi

A legalist politician who contributed to the unification of the Qin Dynasty in China. He was from Shang Cai in the state of Chu during the Warring States period. He studied the art of rulership under Xunzi, but as there was no hope of unifying the world in Chu or the eastern countries, he went west to Qin. Li Si, who had been a guest of the Prime Minister Lu Buwei, served King Zheng of Qin (later the First Emperor), and suggested a plan to turn back the eastern countries, and when this was successful, he was made a guest minister (a foreign minister). At the time, an order to expel foreigners was issued, but when Li Si spoke out against it, it was abolished. From then on, Li Si's strategies were valued, and he was promoted to the position of Prime Minister, as he helped the King of Qin achieve the unification of the world. Policies such as the establishment of prefectures and counties, the burning of books and burying of scholars, and the unification of writing and weights and measures were all suggested by him. After the death of the First Emperor, Zhao Gao participated in a plot to make his youngest son Huhai the second emperor, but he was later imprisoned for criticizing the two men for their wickedness, and was executed by having his waist beheaded.

[Kazuyuki Tsuruma]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、秦(しん)の統一に功績のあった法家の政治家。戦国楚(そ)の上蔡(じょうさい)の人。荀子(じゅんし)について帝王の術を学んだが、楚や東方の諸国には天下を統一する望みがなかったので、西の秦に赴いた。丞相呂不韋(じょうしょうりょふい)の食客の身から、秦王政(せい)（後の始皇帝）に仕えることになった李斯は、東国離反の策を進言し、それが成功すると客卿(きゃっけい)（他国出身の大臣）にあげられた。当時、逐客令(ちっきゃくれい)（他国出身者の追放令）が出されたが、李斯が反対論を唱えると廃された。以後、李斯の策は重用され、秦王を助けて天下の統一を実現させたので、丞相の地位についた。郡県制、焚書坑儒(ふんしょこうじゅ)、文字・度量衡の統一などの政策は彼の進言による。始皇帝の死後、趙高(ちょうこう)が末子胡亥(こがい)を二世皇帝にたてる謀略に荷担したが、のちに2人の無道ぶりを非難して投獄され、腰斬(ようざん)の刑で死んだ。

［鶴間和幸］

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