Talent and Virtue

In the first chapter of the Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government, Sima Guang explains the fall of the Zhi clan. Zhi Xuanzi chose Zhi Yao as his heir, and the clan was destroyed. “Zhi Bo perished because his talent exceeded his virtue.”

Sima Guang then sorts people into four kinds. “One complete in talent and virtue is a sage. One lacking both is a fool. One whose virtue exceeds his talent is a gentleman. One whose talent exceeds his virtue is a petty man.” If no sage or gentleman can be found, “it is better to get a fool than a petty man.”

Virtue and Art

德才兼备 Having both virtue and ability. The 2019 regulations on appointing Party and government leaders name the principle decai jianbei, yi de wei xian: both virtue and ability, with virtue first.

德艺双馨 Virtue and art both fragrant. Said mostly of artists, whose character and art both have a good name. A dictionary example: “Mei Lanfang was truly an artist of both virtue and art.”

Filial and Incorrupt

In 134 BC, on the advice of Dong Zhongshu, Emperor Wu of Han ordered each commandery and kingdom to recommend one filial man and one incorrupt man every year. The recommendation soon became known as ju xiaolian, recommending the filial and incorrupt. Xiaolian means filial toward one’s elders, incorrupt and upright. It became the most important yearly route into office under the Han.

The Boycott of Performers

On March 1, 2021, trial rules of the China Association of Performing Arts on the conduct of performers took effect. A performer who breaks them faces a joint boycott across the industry for one, three or five years, or for life.

To return to the stage, the performer must apply in the three months before the boycott ends, and may perform again only with approval.

The Sincerity of a Great Physician

In Da yi jing cheng, On the Absolute Sincerity of Great Physicians, the Tang physician Sun Simiao sets out two demands. A physician must “study medicine to its source and be diligent without tiring.” And “whenever a great physician treats an illness, he must calm his spirit and settle his will, want nothing and seek nothing, and first feel great compassion.”

China Youth Daily explains the two words of the title. Jing is superb medical skill. Cheng is the wholehearted wish to save lives.

One-Vote Veto

In November 2018, the Ministry of Education issued the Ten Standards of Professional Conduct for University Teachers in the New Era. The standards are to be applied in hiring, appointment and evaluation, with a “one-vote veto” for breaches of teacher ethics, yi piao fou jue.

What Is CNKI?

On January 31, 2019, the actor Zhai Tianlin posted that he had been offered a postdoctoral post at Peking University. In February, viewers found that he had once asked in a livestream: “What is CNKI?” CNKI is China’s main database of academic papers. His doctoral thesis could not be found there, and checks found long copied passages in a paper he had published.

On February 19, 2019, the Beijing Film Academy revoked his doctorate. After the scandal, he all but disappeared from film and television.

Only Talent

In the spring of 210, Cao Cao issued an order seeking talent. “If only men of integrity could be used, how could Duke Huan of Qi have become hegemon?” There might be men who “stole from their sisters-in-law and took bribes” and had not yet been discovered. “Help me bring the obscure to light. Raise men only for their talent, and I will use them.” (Records of the Three Kingdoms)

Cao Cao himself had begun his career as a xiaolian, a man recommended as filial and incorrupt.

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