《抱朴子外篇》Vol. 28

In the 28th chapter of the Outer Chapters of Baopuzi, Ge Hong discusses the selection of local officials. He observes that although the imperial court has high-ranking officials in the Three Departments (Shangshutai, Yushitai, Yezhetai) and Nine Ministries deliberating on statecraft, and provincial governors wield significant authority, it is the county magistrates governing mere hundred-mile territories who directly interact with the common people. All corvée labor and taxes originate from these local units. When magistrates prove incompetent, not only does local administration collapse, but the entire nation's governance suffers.

The selection of county magistrates demands greater emphasis on capability than the appointment of central officials. Yet in practice, fairness and meritocracy often fail: some obtain office through familial influence, others through powerful recommendations despite being unqualified, while certain appointments stem purely from personal connections. Occasionally competent candidates emerge, but most are unfit. Truly incorruptible, self-disciplined officials devoted to public welfare remain vanishingly rare.

Mediocre and avaricious officials fixate solely on wealth, indulging their selfish desires. Superiors who recognize their misconduct fear retaliation and dare not impeach them. How can the people, suffering under such oppression, avoid fleeing in anguish? When enough refugees gather, they form bandit gangs. Just as a towering edifice may collapse from a spark, or a thousand-mile dike crumble from termite tunnels, how can we afford to neglect these grassroots vulnerabilities?

More gravely, selection committees abandon standards for personal favor—like carpenters discarding their compasses and marking lines. Offices aren't matched to qualified candidates, while office-seekers overestimate their abilities. Consequently, governance deteriorates and communities fracture. Some officials plunder and oppress through corruption and extravagance; others provoke resentment with harsh punishments; still others invite chaos through sheer incompetence. These phenomena all expose systemic flaws in local official appointments.

This passage discusses the various harms caused by improper personnel appointments in governing a state. Ge Hong enumerates eight manifestations of official dereliction: some are lazy and negligent, leading to neglected governance; some obsess over trivial matters, wasting human resources; some shelter fugitives and act tyrannically; some lack legal knowledge and are easily deceived; some indulge in music, dance, and sensual pleasures; some neglect official duties for chess and gambling; some forget their responsibilities in hunting and feasting; and some fail to adjudicate cases, causing judicial chaos.

These behaviors bring immense suffering to the people, ultimately driving them to rebellion. The court is then forced to resort to punishments, which not only tarnishes the ruler’s wisdom but also multiplies legal statutes, deepening the people’s misery. Ge Hong employs vivid analogies: appointing the wrong person is like adorning a wooden horse with splendid saddles—how could it ever gallop with the wind? Or like using a clay dragon to summon rain—how could it ever shine in the sky?

He emphasizes that the key to governance lies in selecting capable individuals. Those who wield state power and convey government decrees must discern with the sharp eye of Bole (the legendary horse connoisseur), ensuring that lame and inferior horses do not mix among fine steeds. If those in charge recognize their own limitations, prevent the cart from overturning midway, and never let inferior steeds drive the divine phoenix chariots (referring to the magnificent carriages of immortals), then why fear unfulfilled governance? Why worry about wickedness remaining unpunished? Governed this way, surpassing the achievements of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors would be effortless.

The "Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors" are the ancient sage-kings revered in Daoism, while "Bole" was a famed horse expert of the Spring and Autumn period, here symbolizing those skilled in recognizing talent. By contrasting the consequences of poor and proper personnel selection, Ge Hong underscores the critical importance of appointing the virtuous and capable for state stability and prosperity.