Shang Yang (about 390-338 BC) was a statesman, thinker and famous representative of legalist thought in the Warring States period. The descendant of the Duke of Wei was named Wei Yang, also known as Gongsun Yang, and was later named Shang Yang. Qin Xiaogong's pursuit of talents was inspiring, and Qin Xiaogong was persuaded to carry out reform. After Xiao Gong's death, he was slandered by the nobles, and his car cracked and died. In the reign of 19, Qin ruled the country, which was known as Shang Yang's political reform in history. Shang Yang's "Learning to Be Excellent and Being an Official" is a book devoted to the rule of law, which is deeply influenced by Li Kui, Wu Qi and others. Later, he was the prime minister of Wei, and when Gong Shucuo was seriously ill, he said to him, "Gong Sunyang is a young wizard and can be appointed as the prime minister." He also said to King Hui: "Since Sun Yang is not needed, you must kill him and don't order him to leave the country." After Uncle Cuo's death, Shang Yang heard that he was brilliant, so he went to the State of Qin with his Fa Jing. Through eunuch Jing Ke's three visits to filial piety, Shang Yang talked about the policy of reforming the country, and filial piety was a great pleasure. In the first 359 years, he served as the head of Zuo Shu and began to reform. Later, he was promoted to a big beam seat.

In 13 (the first 356 years) and 19 (the first 350 years), Zhou Xianwang carried out two political reforms. The content of the reform is "abandon minefields, open buildings, implement the county system, reward farmers for fighting, and implement the method of sitting together." At this time, the prince broke the law, and Shang Yang said, "If the law doesn't work, you can commit it from above." Punish the teacher Gong Ziqian and the teacher Gong Sunjia. In the sixteenth year of Qin Xiaogong, a teacher and a son broke the law, and Shang Yang was sentenced to cut off his nose. The reform has been going on for a long time, and the Qin people are happy. There are no thieves in the mountains. In the first 340 years, Qin and Zhao defeated General Ang, the son of Wei, and Wei cut the land of Xihe and Qin, and the people moved to Daliang. At this time, Liang was furious: "I hate what my uncle said." Shang Yang was awarded the title of Shang Wuyi for his merits.

Shang Jun's laws are too unkind and ungrateful. He made the law of sitting together, made strict laws, and increased the intensity of corporal punishment, including chiseling, pulling tendons, cooking in an iron pot and other punishments. The nobles of Qin complained bitterly. Zhao Liang advised Shang Jun to bear a grudge and asked him to "go back to the fifteenth capital and lightly irrigate the garden", "not greedy for business, rich in business, not used to the teaching of Qin", but Shang Yang did not listen. Before 338, Qin Xiaogong collapsed, Huiwen Wang Shang acceded to the throne, and the Prince thanked Shang Yang for his rebellion. Shang Yang fled to the border and wanted to stay in the hostel. As a result, the store did not dare to stay because there was no certificate, so it was "self-defeating"; In order to escape to Wei, Ren Wei did not want to take Shang Yang in, because Shang Yang had broken Mo Wei treacherously. Later, Shang Yang returned to Shangyi, sent troops to attack the north, sent troops to beg, and killed Yang in the pool. After his death, he was punished by Qin as a "broken car" and destroyed the Shangjun family.

In 359 BC, when Shang Yang assisted Qin Xiaogong in brewing political reform, Gan Long and Du Zhi, representatives of the old aristocracy, rose up against the political reform. They think that profit is unchangeable and it is not easy to use. "There is nothing wrong with the ancient law, and there is nothing wrong with politeness." Shang Yang pointed out in a tit-for-tat way: "What was the ancient law in the past? If the emperor doesn't mend fences, why follow? " "Governing the world is different. At that time, the country was illegal, so Tang Wu was king without courtesy, and Yan Xia was not easy to die without courtesy. It is essential to resist the ancients, but there are not many people who follow the ceremony. " Therefore, he advocated "establishing the ceremony at that time and making the ceremony according to the matter" (Shang Jun Gengfa, Historical Records and Biography of Shang Jun). This refuted the so-called "legalist" and "etiquette" of the old aristocracy with the thought of historical evolution, and made public opinion preparations for the implementation of the reform. The illustration of "Shang Yang's war of words" in the textbook is a portrayal of this great debate at that time.