举贤容众 – Chinese philosophy and culture

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jǔ xián róng zhòng 举贤容众

Recommend People of Virtue and Be Magnanimous Toward the Masses

推举有才德的人,包容一般人。治国理政要达到良好状态,必须选拔、任用有品德、才能出众的人,但对于德行、资质都很一般的人也能放开襟怀,予以包容。这是中国传统政治思想中“尚贤”与“仁爱”精神的有机结合。

To govern a state well, the ruler must select and employ those with outstanding virtue and talent. However, he must also be tolerant and inclusive toward people of ordinary virtue and aptitude. This is a successful combination of the traditional Chinese political concepts of “exalting the worthy” and “being compassionate.”

引例 Citations:

◎博学而不穷,笃行而不倦;幽居而不淫,上通而不困;礼之以和为贵,忠信之美,优游之法,举贤而容众,毁方而瓦合。(《礼记·儒行》)

(广泛学习而无止境,专心行道而不倦怠;隐居独处行为不会放荡,仕途通达也能力行正道;依礼去做以和为贵,以忠信为美德,以宽和为法则。推举有才德的人而能包容德行、资质一般的人,必要时也可毁弃原则而迁就众人。)

One must learn extensively and endlessly, never be weary of the pursuit. One must never give way to licentiousness even when living in isolation and acting alone, and always follow the right paths even though smoothly promoted in officialdom. One must act in accordance with etiquette, value generosity and harmony, regard loyalty and honesty as virtue, tolerance and benevolence as benchmarks. One should recommend people with virtue and talent, and yet tolerate and be magnanimous toward those of ordinary virtue and aptitude. If necessary, one may even bend principles in order to accommodate the wishes of the general public. (The Book of Rites)

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