In the Kaisai chapter of the Shangjunshu, Shang Yang claimed that a way for ruling should be changed as the world changes, and therefore wanted to change early China into a society which is ruled by law, not by rituals. His idea can be understood from a perceptive of historism. He categorized human history as three periods, and stated that each period has an appropriate political principle. In this sense, his idea can be regarded as "historism." According to Shang Yang's idea of historism, there is no principle to transcend the reality and to rule the world contantly. Therefore, his idea leads to criticism against Confucian idealism. Confucius is the one who created a political myth. He related Yao, Shun, and Wu with Confucian morality of benevolence and righteousness, and idealized them as "The Late King" with virtue. The Confucian idealization of Yao, Shun and Wu continued since Confucius and was developed into the myth of abdication. From Shang Yang's point of view, the abdication myth is nothing but an ideology, and is just used to protect the ruling. In fact, there is a case where the King of Yan, Zi Kuai abdicated his throne to his minister, Zi Zi because the king was deceived by his official, Lumaoshou. The case of abdication in the Yan is not the realization of Confucian ideal, but is just the joint work of Zi Kuai's desire for reputation and Zi Zi's desire for power. Shang Yang's criticism against Confucian political utopia influenced Han Feizi. Like Shang Yang, Han Feizi claimed that there are different ways for politics in the periods of Xiahou, Yin, Zhou, and the present. If one now tries to follow the way of Yao, Shun, Wu, Tang, Wen, or Wu, he will incur ridicule from a present sage. Han Feizi also claimed that a ruler should govern his state by means of appropriate rules, but should not abide by the old laws.