In 81 BCE, the emperor of Han China convened a great debate: should the state continue its monopolies on salt and iron, or return these vital industries to the people? Huan Kuan, a Confucian scholar, recorded the fierce exchange between the Legalist ministers who defended central control and the Confucian literati who argued for free markets and moral governance. This modern-English edition brings the Discourses on Salt and Iron to today's readers with clarity and warmth, preserving the original's spirit of rigorous dialogue and timeless questions about wealth, power, and justice. Whether you are new to Chinese classics or a seasoned reader, this translation invites you into a conversation that still resonates. Part of The Founding Texts Library.