The ability to recognize individuals with both moral virtue and competence, or to discern the merits and shortcomings of people, has been a profound pursuit throughout Chinese history. Many historical classics suggest that the future of a well-governed state hinges on its ability to recognize and leverage the role of virtuous and competent individua…
Laozi advocated “influencing others without preaching” as part of his philosophy of wuwei (无为) or non-action. In ancient times, rulers issued orders and instructions to shape their subjects’ speech, thoughts and behavior so as to conform to the proprieties. Laozi was against this kind of direct action, believing that instead of imposing their o…
This is a form of the existence of things when the boundary between things is broken and one thing transforms into another. The term “transformation of things” comes from Zhuangzi, in which the author Zhuangzi (369?-286 BC) illustrated the concept in the fable Zhuangzi Dreamed of Becoming a Butterfly. He believed that the boundary and difference …