One's moral character is the most fundamental element of being a human being. In Chinese history, a person's moral character was always the number one consideration in determining whether one would be recommended to serve in any position. Of course, the moral character of the person making the recommendation is also important. He has to be broadminded, impartial, and unselfish. If a person is selfish and partial to those who are close to him, then whatever he does will be for the sake of establishing his own clique. The story "Li Ke Recommends a Prime Minister" in the historical records Zi Zhi Tong Jian is a good example.
 
King Wenho (? – 396 BC) of the State of Wei in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770 – 256 BC) once summoned an official, Li Ke, who served outside the court, and said to him, "I am looking to appoint a prime minister. The two candidates I have in mind are Wei Chengzi and Zhai Huang. Which one do you think is more suitable?"
 
Li Ke replied, "There is a saying: 'A person in a lowly position should not pay attention to concerns of high positions. A person who is a distant relation should not be concerned with matters of your close relations.' I should not comment about matters in the court since I serve outside the court."
 
The king said, "This is of national importance. Please do not be modest." Li Ke thought for a moment and then said, "One can observe a person's moral character and capabilities from five areas: Who are the ones closest to him? Who does he befriend when he is rich and noble? Who does he recommend when he is prominent and powerful? What does he not do when he is down? And, what does he not take when he is poor? Answers to these will reveal which is the better choice." Hearing this, the king said happily, "Now I know whom my prime minister will be."
 
On his way home, Li met Zhai Huang. Zhai stopped him and asked, "I heard that the king summoned you to ask of your opinion on the selection of a prime minister. Whom did the king choose in the end?" "Wei Chengzi," Li answered. Zhai Huang immediately became angry and said, "How am I inferior to Wei Chengzi? I recommended the governor for Xihe City. When the king was worried about the situation of Ye City, I recommended Ximen Bao to govern. I also recommended Leyangzi to help the king to conquer the State of Zhongshan. After the victory, the king could not find a suitable person to defend it, and I recommended you to be the governor. The prince's teacher, Quhou Fu, was my recommendation also. You know of all this. Why do you think that I am inferior to Wei Chengzi?"
 
After hearing Zhai Huang, Li Ke said solemnly, "You and I have a relationship between noble people. Didn't you recommend me to the king so that I could serve the country well? I don't think that you did it so that you could become more powerful and have a higher salary." Zhai could not refute this. Li continued, "The king asked who would be the more suitable person to be prime minister. I only told him my honest opinion. I know that Wei Chengzi used nine-tenths of his salary to recruit good people for the country and used what was left for his family. He found three wise people from the east: Bu Zixia, Tian Zifang and Duangan Mu. They are all capable with excellent moral character. The king treated them as teachers and learned from them the ways to govern a nation. The five people that you recommended, however, only have the talents of regular officials to serve the king, therefore the king treats them as subjects. So how can you be compared to Wei Chengzi?"
 
Zhai Huang was embarrassed and apologized profusely to Li. He said, "I am sorry that I just said so many wrong things and offended you. I will learn from you and try to elevate my moral character from now on."
 
Li Ke's ability to recognize talent by virtue, the moral character of Wei Chengzi, Zhai Huang's immediate realization, and King Wenho's acceptance of Li Ke's recommendation are all very interesting points in this story. One can tell a person's nature from his speech and conduct, no matter how trifling. If a person truly has high moral character, a single word or action of his can reflect his good qualities and affect the people around him.
 
荐才举贤　以德为先
 
德乃做人之本，自古以来人们荐才举贤首先都以道德作为衡量的水准。从人的品行及为人，判断其是否是一个贤德之人。当然荐贤者自身的操守也很重要，要心胸宽广，站在为公的基点上唯贤是举。如果站在为私的基点上决定亲疏弃取，那么肯定是为自己树立私党。《资治通鉴》中《李克荐相》的故事在这方面给人以借鉴和启迪。
 
东周时魏文侯召见外臣李克，说道：“我将要设置宰相，想从魏成子和翟璜中选一人，先生看谁比较合适？”李克回答：“常言道：‘卑不谋尊，疏不谋亲’，我在朝廷以外任职，不敢妄议朝政。”魏文侯说：“这是国家大事，希望先生不要谦让！”李克沉吟了一下说道：“要想知道一个人的品质和能力，可以从五个方面观察：看他平时所亲近的；富贵时所交往的；显赫时所推荐的；穷困时所不做的；贫贱时所不取的。这样就心中就有数了。”文侯听后高兴的说：“现在我能确定国相的人选了。”
 
李克在回家的路上，正好遇上翟璜，翟璜连忙拦住他问：“听说国君召见先生去选荐国相，最后选定了谁？”“魏成子。”李克说。翟璜愤然变色说：“我哪一点不如魏成子？西河太守为我所推荐；国君为邺城之事忧愁，我又荐举了西门豹前往治理；国君要讨伐中山国，是我举荐了乐羊子而取胜；攻克中山之后，无人守卫，是我举荐了先生您去任职；世子缺少老师，也是我推荐了屈侯鲋。这些都是先生知道的，我哪一点比不上魏成子？”
 
李克听后义正辞严的反问：“我和你以君子相交，你把我推荐给国君，难道不是为了国家大义，而是为了结党营私、谋求高官厚禄吗？”翟璜一时语塞。李克接著说：“国君今天问我谁做国相合适，我只是照实说了一些意见。我知道魏成子每年的俸禄有十分之九用于为国家招贤，只有十分之一留给家用。他从东方招来卜子夏、田子方、段干木，此三人皆道德之士，君尊为师，向他们学习治国之道；而你所推荐的五个人，只具有人臣的才干，国君把他们当成臣属。由此可见，你怎能与魏成子相比呢？”
 
翟璜听后满面羞愧，他再三向李克道歉说：“我冒昧了先生，刚才说了不少错话，今后一定提高自己的修养，向先生学习。”
 
李克的识人用人之道、魏成子的品德、翟璜的醒悟及魏文侯之所以用李克择相，令人深思和回味。通过看人的言行举止，甚至细小的事情，皆可观其志。因为真正的节操高尚之人，真正的道德之士，其一言一行，一举一动，都会表现出他们优秀的品质，都会影响和感化周围的人。