 Yet scheming ministers aside, the sovereign should beware of his own mistakes, which may be even worse than his foes’ plans. The monarch is the most revered individual, but also the weakest chain in the government apparatus. He can be duped by his underlings, is prone to misjudge them, and his actions may frequently endanger the very foundations of political order that he is supposed to safeguard. Hence, the thinker repeatedly urges the ruler to refrain from any personal activities, any reliance on personal knowledge, and any manifestation of personal likes and dislikes. “He who relies on personal abilities is the worst ruler”; “When the sovereign abandons the law and behaves selfishly, there is no difference between the rulers and the ruled”; “When the ruler has selfish kindness, the ruled have selfish desires” (Han Feizi 48: 432; 6: 32; 45: 414 et saepe). The ruler should refrain from any action; echoing the Laozi 老子, Han Fei urges him to remain empty and tranquil (Han Feizi 5: 27). The thinker summarizes his recommendations: