What was Shang Yang’s original name?

The descendants of the monarchs of Wei state have the surname Ji, so they are called Wei Yang, also known as Gongsun Yang. Later, because of his meritorious service in the Battle of Hexi, he was granted the title of Fifteen Towns of Shang Dynasty and was named Shang Jun, so he was called Shang Yang. Shang Yang (390 BC - 338 BC) was a politician and commander-in-chief during the Warring States Period in Chinese history, and a representative figure of the Legalist school.

Shang Yang studied Legalism, Military Strategies, and Miscellaneous Thoughts in his early years. Later, he served the Prime Minister of Wei State, Shu Cuo, as his concubine. After Duke Xiao of Qin issued an order seeking talents in the State of Qin, he entered Qin from Wei and transformed the State of Qin through reforms. The transformation into a wealthy and powerful country was known as Shang Yang's Reform in history. Politically, Shang Yang reformed Qin's household registration, laws, military titles, land system, administrative divisions, taxation, weights and measures, and folk customs;

Economically, Shang Yang advocated focusing on agriculture, suppressing business, and rewarding farming and weaving; military As the commander-in-chief, Shang Shang Yang led his army to regain part of the lost land in the Hexi area (the area west of the southern section of the Yellow River between today's Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces). However, during the reform process, Shang Yang enacted harsh criminal laws to attack the old aristocracy, which caused great resentment. Shang Yang himself was retaliated by the forces of the old aristocracy and eventually died.

Extended information:

Shang Yang and his reforms had a profound impact on the Legalist school. The descendants of the Legalist school compiled Shang Yang’s words, deeds, thoughts and later works into "Shang Yang". "Jun Shu". When Sima Qian wrote "Historical Records", it was Shang Yang's independent "Biographies of Shang Jun". In addition, when modern scholars Ma Feibai wrote "Collected History of Qin" and Wang Zangchang wrote "History of Qin", they both combined Shang Yang and his disciple Shijiao in the "Biography of Gongsun Yang".

Shang Yang’s thoughts developed and gradually formed a school after Shang Yang’s death. Zheng Liangshu called it Shang Yang School. The Shang Yang School went through five stages: establishment, development, development, finalization and stamina. In line with the history of Qin, it gradually became the mainstream of thought that dominated the Qin State and even the Qin Dynasty.

To commemorate Shang Yang, Shangluo City, Shaanxi Province built Shang Yang Square in 2007. The Shang Yang sculpture located in the square is also one of the city's landmark buildings. The sculpture of Shang Yang is 9 meters high, holding a slip in his left hand and wearing a sword. Behind the sculpture is a 33.8-meter-long relief cultural wall, which tells the story of Shang Yang's reform.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Shang Yang