Shang Yang (about 395 BC-338 BC) was a statesman, reformer, thinker and representative of Legalism in the Warring States Period. He is a native of Wei (now Liangzhuang Town, Neihuang County, Anyang City, Henan Province) and a descendant of the king of Wei. Her surname is Gong, so she is also called Wei Yang and Gong Sunyang. Later, due to his meritorious service in the Hexi Campaign, he was named fifteen cities Shang Jun, so he called it Shang Yang.

Shang Yang made A Qin rich and strong through political reform, which is called Shang Yang's political reform in history. Politically, Shang Yang reformed Qin's household registration, rank, land system, administrative divisions, taxation, weights and measures, and folk customs, and formulated harsh laws. Economically, Shang Yang advocated attaching importance to agriculture and restraining commerce, and rewarding agriculture and weaving. Militarily, Qin Jun, commander-in-chief of Shang Yang, recovered Hexi.

In 338 BC, Qin Xiaogong died and his son Qin Huiwen succeeded him. In the same year as his death, Shang Yang was framed by his son Qian for rebellion, defeated and died, and his body was transported back to Xianyang, where it was publicly displayed after being cracked.