[3] Shang Yang was born as the son of a concubine to the ruling family of the minor state Wey (衞).

[4] At a young age, Yang studied law and obtained a position under Prime Minister Shuzuo of Wei (魏, not the same as his birth state).

His numerous reforms transformed the peripheral Qin state into a militarily powerful and strongly centralized kingdom.

Changes to the state's legal system (which were said to have been built upon Li Kui's Canon of Laws) propelled the Qin to prosperity.

[7] and Mark Edward Lewis considered reorganization of the military as potentially responsible for the orderly plan of roads and fields throughout north China.

[10] He is credited by Han Fei, often considered to be the greatest representative of Chinese Legalism (法家), with the creation of two theories; Believing in the rule of law and considering loyalty to the state above that of the family, Yang introduced two sets of changes to the State of Qin.

Yang introduced land reforms, privatized land, rewarded farmers who exceeded harvest quotas, enslaved farmers who failed to meet quotas, and used enslaved subjects as (state-owned) rewards for those who met government policies.

Yang moved the capital from the city of Yueyang to Xianyang, in order to reduce the influence of nobles on the administration.

[4] Following the execution of Yang, King Huiwen turned away from the central valley south to conquer Sichuan (Shu and Ba) in what Steven Sage calls a "visionary reorientation of thinking" toward material interests in Qin's bid for universal rule.

Despite traditional history's dim view, Sima Qian recounts the immediate effect of his policies as such: After [the ordinances] had been in effect for ten years, the commoners of Qin were delighted; no one picked up articles lost on the road, there were no bandits or thieves in the mountains, households were well provided for and the people were well off.

The commoners were brave in the duke’s battles but cowardly in private feuds and the townships and cities were in good order.