《抱朴子外篇》Vol. 22

Ge Hong's "Outer Chapters of the Master Who Embraces Simplicity: On Conduct and Character" provides detailed descriptions of exemplary figures embodying various noble virtues:

The sage comprehends the patterns of heaven and earth (Xuanhuang denotes the cosmos), illuminating both the manifest and the subtle, with insights so profound they verge on the divine. The worthy possess innate purity and integrity, transcending worldly concerns without ostentation, and though they may err, they never repeat their mistakes.

The Daoist adept dwells in serene wuwei (non-action), upholding principles of impartial rectitude. The filial devote themselves to ancestral rites (Zhengchang refers to sacrificial offerings), cherishing their physical form to honor family legacy. The benevolent extend compassion to all beings, always practicing empathetic consideration.

The loyal sacrifice themselves for their nation, preserving moral integrity through adversity. The perceptive discern hidden truths, foreseeing transformations of fortune. The wise understand timing and circumstance, ensuring self-preservation. The enlightened maintain equanimity through life's vicissitudes, harmonizing with their innate nature.

The refined would rather suffer injustice than compromise principle; the prudent act with measured deliberation. The pure remain unsullied as ice, untainted by power or profit. The righteous stay constant even in peril, never abandoning their purpose. The trustworthy honor commitments unaltered by passing years.

The literary craft elegant yet balanced discourse; the martial demonstrate decisive bravery in quelling chaos. The Confucian masters master ancient texts (Fensuo denotes classical canons), exhaustively studying ancestral wisdom. The diligent delve into subtle truths, treasuring time for moral cultivation.

The incorruptible understand wealth invites calamity, discarding material gain like worn sandals. The chaste remain unmoved by fortune or desire. The devoted prioritize others' needs above their own, embracing neighbors' sorrows as personal burdens. The disciplined maintain impeccable conduct without compromise, unshaken by coercion.

The eloquent wield sharp reasoning and fluid speech to resolve perplexities. The humble grow more reverent with higher achievement. Finally, those who cherish familial harmony while steadfastly upholding proper governance.

(Note: This scripture presents Ge Hong's comprehensive moral taxonomy through thirty-odd character archetypes, blending Confucian virtues like loyalty and filial piety with Daoist ideals of natural spontaneity.)

This passage describes various types of individuals and their moral characteristics, clearly distinguishing between virtuous and wicked people.

First, it enumerates ten manifestations of virtuous individuals: those who are upright and selfless (干人), those who can discern right from wrong (理人), those versed in astronomy and calendrics (术人), the courageous and fearless (勇人), the dignified and impartial (严人), masters of their craft (艺人), those who defy oppressive authority (黠人), the diligent and tireless (勤人), the steadfast and unyielding (劲人), those unmoved by praise or blame (审人), the resolute and decisive (果人), the cautious and rule-abiding (谨人), the courteous and refined (良人), and the simple and unpretentious (朴人). These traits all characterize virtuous individuals.

Next, it lists ten manifestations of wicked people: those who are unfilial to their parents (悖人), the hypocritical and selfish (逆人), those who abandon benevolence and righteousness (凶人), the greedy and belligerent (恶人), the cruel and tyrannical (虐人), slanderers of the loyal and virtuous (谗人), those who speak one way but act another (佞人), the violently temperamental (暴人), those outwardly kind but inwardly malicious (奸人), and the sycophantic and flattering (谄人). These behaviors all mark wicked individuals.

Finally, it points out that those who break their word and are inconsistent in their actions also demonstrate immoral conduct. Through contrasting the behavioral traits of virtuous and wicked people, the entire passage provides clear moral standards and practical guidance for conduct in the world.

This passage comes from Ge Hong's Baopuzi Outer Chapters, which enumerates twenty-four types of people with undesirable character traits. The author uses concise language to depict various personality flaws, which we can understand as follows:

Those who make promises lightly but never fulfill them are hypocrites; those who forget righteousness at the sight of profit and abandon integrity to grasp for gain are the greedy; those whose hearts flutter at beauty and deliberately adorn themselves to seduce others are the licentious.

Those who hesitate in decision-making and always regret afterward are the confused; those who disregard classical teachings, act self-righteously, and refuse to seek wisdom from sages are the self-serving; those who know what is right but fail to act, busy yet achieving nothing, are the incompetent.

Those who abandon moral cultivation and fawn over the powerful are the base; those who take crooked shortcuts and bribe for profit are the treacherous; those who are arrogant, rude, and bully those stronger than themselves are the violent.

Those who falsely accuse themselves when wronged and panic at minor troubles are the cowardly; those who show off their eloquence in public and bare their hearts to the wrong people are the shallow; those who cannot discern what should be done and, though admiring virtue, never learn, are the obstinate.

Those who know their faults but refuse to correct them, and even worsen upon hearing good advice, are the foolish; those who lack compassion and easily sever ties with family and friends are the cold-hearted; those who envy others' strengths and gloat over misfortunes are the jealous.

Those who value wealth over righteousness and refuse to help those in need are the stingy; those who take reckless risks and remain unenlightened even after disaster are the senseless; those who are narrow-minded, biased, and solely self-interested are the petty.

Those who indulge in hunting and gambling beyond redemption are the lost; those who forget their station and chase extravagance are the wasteful; those who drown in sensual pleasures and neglect human relationships are the dissolute.

Those who neither pursue self-cultivation nor bother to manage their households are the lazy; those who lack dignity and act rashly without forethought are the frivolous; those who grow weary at talk of virtue but light up at discussions of profit are the vulgar.

Those whose shallow knowledge is riddled with errors and who cannot discern what to accept or reject are the ignorant; those who resent talent and wisdom and feign deafness to profound discourse are the stubborn; those who cannot distinguish right from wrong and remain unenlightened despite reminders are the deluded.

Those who violate righteousness yet waver, and flout ritual propriety without restraint, are the disruptive. These vivid descriptions reveal the many weaknesses in human nature and remain cautionary even today.

The Outer Chapters of the Master Who Embraces Simplicity (Baopuzi Waipian) analyzes five types of people whose outward appearances contradict their inner qualities, reminding us that judging others should never rely solely on superficial impressions:

The first type is those who appear refined but lack true substance. Such individuals may look dignified and imposing, carrying themselves with the majestic bearing of dragons and tigers, their actions seemingly conforming to proper standards. Yet their minds are hollow—they possess neither administrative competence nor military leadership. Any task entrusted to them will be bungled, and any diplomatic mission assigned will end in disgrace. Such people are fundamentally incapable of shouldering important responsibilities.

The second type is those with plain appearances but extraordinary talent. They may have ugly features, weak voices, and clumsy manners, yet harbor genuine ability within. Well-versed in the classics and of noble character, their capabilities surpass even ancient worthies (the "Eight Exemplars" [Yuan-Kai] of antiquity). In governance, they can make all endeavors flourish; in warfare, they achieve complete victory. Such individuals are easily overlooked due to their unremarkable exteriors.

The third type is the profoundly wise who conceal their brilliance. Their strategies run deep, their wisdom transcends the ordinary, and their insights penetrate hidden subtleties—they possess multifaceted talents. Yet they seldom voice their thoughts, and even their writings cannot fully convey their minds. In casual encounters, they appear no different from common people.

The fourth type is those skilled in rhetoric but inept in practice. Eloquent in debate and lavish with ornate phrases, they adeptly quote classics, their speech flowing like the wind. Yet they cannot practice what they preach—adept at discussing ancient figures but incapable of handling contemporary affairs. Entrust them with governance, and chaos ensues; put them in charge of people, and resentment follows.

The fifth type is those outwardly reverent but inwardly negligent. Their manners show humility and propriety, their speech seems measured, yet their spirit is indolent and their minds scattered. They approach assigned tasks without diligence and fulfill official duties without responsibility.

The text also mentions another kind: those proficient in martial arts (the "Five Weapons" [Wubing]), capable of hitting targets at a hundred paces, disarming opponents barehanded, and excelling in mounted archery—yet whose actual temperament proves frivolous and courage deficient. Though impressive in practice, they become utterly useless when martial skills are truly needed.

This passage describes ten types of individuals whose true nature is difficult to discern, emphasizing the importance of accurate judgment in recognizing and employing talent.

The first type appears timid yet possesses inner fortitude. Outwardly gentle and cautious, they endure slights without resentment. Yet when confronted with matters of principle, they stand firm for righteousness, facing death without fear.

The second type upholds virtue but lacks worldly acumen. Filial, fraternal, courteous and trustworthy, they strictly observe propriety and endure poverty contentedly. However, their excessive attention to minor details and indecisiveness often causes them to miss crucial opportunities.

The third type displays eccentricity but unwavering loyalty. Proud and unconventional, they act spontaneously and often offend others. Yet when serving in office, they administer affairs impartially, demonstrating loyalty to superiors and fairness to subordinates.

The fourth type exhibits magnanimity but indecision. Broad-minded and courteous, they willingly assist others and can be entrusted with important matters. However, their inability to make firm decisions and unclear standards for rewards and punishments frequently lead to failure through hesitation.

The author cautions that evaluating people requires utmost care. Some individuals appear similar yet differ fundamentally, like Wang Mang who initially seemed as virtuous as Yi Yin or Huo Guang, but later proved more tyrannical than Zhao Gao. If talent could be distinguished as easily as small birds from wild geese, or foxes from dragon-steeds, history would not record the chaos caused by the Four Villains or the rebellions of Guan and Cai. Confucius would not have misjudged Tantai Mieming, nor would Xiang Yu have doubted Fan Zeng.

The text underscores that both selecting talent and forming friendships demand careful observation and testing, for human character can change. Superficial appearances and temporary behavior often prove unreliable indicators of true nature.

This passage discusses the difficulty in distinguishing genuine talent from its counterfeit. Just as inferior stones resembling jade (wufu) can be confused with true precious jade, small birds (jiao ming) may appear like phoenixes, frozen water can be mistaken for crystal quartz, and soot stains may resemble ethereal clouds, truly discerning individuals are exceedingly rare in this world. Even the sagely emperors of antiquity found this challenging, let alone ordinary people.

Only those possessing extraordinary wisdom and the ability to perceive subtle mysteries can achieve this discernment—like using a celestial balance to weigh objects or illuminating darkness with brilliant light. They can identify uncarved jade within mountains and recognize pearls hidden beneath water's surface. True sages in ambiguous circumstances maintain impartial judgment unaffected by personal biases, thereby clearly distinguishing good from evil and delivering fair praise or criticism.

Historically, exemplary rulers like Wu Ding of Shang and Ji Wen (King Wen of Zhou) achieved good governance precisely because they employed virtuous ministers like Fu Yue and Lü Shang. Conversely, villains like Zai Pi of Wu failed to fully succeed, and the deceitful facades of figures like Hong Gong and Shi Xian of Han were ultimately exposed—all due to the rulers' capacity for such discernment.

Ultimately, the key to selecting talent lies in mastering the fundamental principle of distinguishing authenticity, while the subtle art of discernment depends on the selector's own cultivation. This profound knowledge cannot be fully conveyed through mere words on paper.