Marquis Wen of Wei, a famous statesman, appointed Li Kui to carry out reforms.

魏国的建立者魏文侯是著名的政治家，任用李悝进行改革。

Li Kui changed the old hereditary system, and put two new agricultural policies into practice, which encouraged peasants to develop agriculture and stabilized food prices.

李悝改变旧的“世卿世禄”制度，实行“尽地力”与“善平籴”两项农业政策,鼓励农民积极发展生产，稳定粮食价格。

Meanwhile, he formulated A Book of Laws , a famous law book.

此外,李悝还制定了《法经》。

Though it was set to protect the interests of the exploiting class, it placed an important role in maintaining the social order and stabilizing the political situation in Wei.

这一法律虽然主要是保护剥削阶级的利益，但对魏国来说，在维护社会秩序、稳定政局方面，起了重要的作用。

After a series reforms, Wei became the strongest state in the early Spring and Autumn Period.

经过一系列改革，魏国成为战国初期最强大的国家。

In 382 B. C. , Chu King Dao designated Wu Qi to reform. Similar to Li Kui, he focused his reform on the hereditary system, selecting and appointing persons on their merits, rewards and punishments being rigid.

周安王二十年(公元前382年），楚悼王任用吴起进行变法，他改革的重点和李悝一样，主要也是在于削弱旧的“世卿世禄”制度，选贤任能，赏罚严明。

There measures rectified the political system, and strengthened the armed forces, which benefited the state but aroused the resentment of nobles.

楚国经过此次改革，政治得到整顿，军力也日益强大。改革虽有利于国家，却引起了贵族的不满。

As the conservative forces of Chu were poweful, when Chu King Dao died, Wu Qi was killed with arrows, and his reforms were nearly abolished.

楚国旧势力强大，楚悼王刚死，吴起就被乱箭射死，其改革几乎都被废除。

Zhao, Han, Qi and Yan also reformed, but the most radical one took place in Qin launched by Shang Yang.

赵、韩、齐、燕四国亦进行了改革，但战国时期最彻底的改革当数秦国的“商鞅变法”。

Shang Yang was a declining noble of Wei, and his surname was Gongsun, a distinguished legalist. He went to Qin for not being put in an important position in Wei.

商鞍姓公孙，名鞅,卫国没落贵族，杰出的法家，他在魏不被重用而入秦。

In Qin he was enfiefed in Shang (in Southeast of Shang County in Shaanxi)due to his merits, therefore he was called Shang Yang.

在秦以功封于商(今陕西商县东南），因称商君，亦称商鞅。

Shang Yang ’ s reform was a thorough revolution of the landlord class.

秦国的“商鞅变法”是一场比较彻底的地主阶级政治改革。

In 356 B. C. and 350 B. C. , Duke Xiao of Qin appointed Shang Yang to reform twice. His measures included ： encouraging the population growth, elevating agriculture and downgrading commerce, abolishing the traditional privileges of the nobles, rewarding a person for his military exploit, registering the residents.

公元前356年和公元前350年，秦孝公任用商鞅进行了两次变法，内容包括鼓励人口增长，重农抑商，废除世卿世禄制度，奖励军功，编制户口，为实现中央集权而建立县制。

To establish a political system of centralization, Shang Yang grouped all villages and towns into 31 counties governed by magistrates, who were designated by the monarch, in which way the sovereign ’ s control could be reached.

在全国设置31个县，国君直接派官吏治理，国家统一控制。

Since the reform of Shang Yang, Qin became the most powerful state in a short time.

自商鞅变法后，秦国一跃成为七国中实力最强的国家。

Though Shang Yang was put to death by his opponents, the new laws were not eliminated, which paved the way for Qin to conquer the other six states and unify the whole country.

虽然后来商鞅被车裂而死，新法却并未废止。商鞅变法为秦消灭六国、统一中国奠定了基础。