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A rigid legal system may ensure consistency, but true justice requires more than uniformity; it demands moral discernment. The Confucian concept of yì (righteousness) offers a better approach by empowering leaders to judge each case with ethical insight, compassion, and attention to context. When a ruler reduces a sentence because of mitigating circumstances, it is not a sign of weakness but of moral strength, choosing justice over blind punishment. Legalism, by insisting on inflexible application of law, risks treating all transgressions as equal and ignoring the human realities behind actions. In contrast, yì allows justice to breathe, recognizing that fairness often lies not in sameness but in understanding. A society led by yì cultivates moral responsibility, while one bound by Legalist rigidity breeds fear and compliance without virtue.
