Character Psych Template — Part 3

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The Twelve Categories of Abilities

The Three Primary Abilities and Their Variations

1. The Person of Sublime Behavior 清節家
   • The person of sublime behavior’s virtuous actions are high and admirable, his/her bearing and conduct may be used as models.
   • Proper office:  teacher — in charge of the training of the heir-apparent.
   • Examples:
     • Yen Ling 延陵 — Yen Ling is the name of a place in the modern province of Kiangsu.  Wu Chi-cha, 吳季札, a man of the Spring and Autumn period, 6th century B. C., lived there, and is known by the name of the place.  The younger son of the lord of Wu, he refused the throne because it would have meant displacing his older brother.  The ruler of Hsü desired his sword, which Chi-cha mentally promised to give him.  On his return from a mission, he found the ruler dead, whereupon he hung up the sword over the ruler's grave, in order to keep a promise which had never been made orally.
     • Yen Ying 晏嬰 — Yen Ying, d. 493 B. C., was an official of the state of Ch‘i, noted for his thrift.  One fox-skin robe lasted him for thirty years.  He is known for a plan he suggested to the ruler, by which he eliminated three rival ministers.  He was noted for the satirical parables by which he remonstrated with his master.  The sayings attributed to him are preserved in a book called the Spring and Autumn Annals of Yen Tzu.
2. The Statesperson 法家
   • The statesperson can frame laws and set up institutions, strengthen the country and enrich the people.
   • Proper office:  ssu-k‘ou 司寇 — in charge of the administration of justice, gives decisions as judges and sees that the decisions are carried out.
   • Examples:
     • Kuan Chung 管仲 — Kuan Chung, d. 645 B. C., was the prime minister of the Duke of Ch‘i.  He was able to make Duke Huang the leading man of China.  A great man, the facts of whose life are generally known, he was praised by Confucius as having saved Chinese civilization.
     • Shang Yang 商鞅 — Shang Yang, d. 338 B. C., was a minister of the state of Ch‘in.  A full study of his life and work are given in Duyvendak, The Book of Lord Shang.  Kuan Chung and Shang Yang are included in the School of Law.
3. The Strategist 術家
   • The strategist's thoughts are penetrating and his/her way fluid, while his/her plans are marvelously clever.
   • Proper office:  san-ku 三孤 — the undersecretaries, assistants to san-kung, ranking above the six ministers.
   • Examples:
     • Fan Li 范蠡 — Fan Li, 5th century B. C.; as prime minister of the state of Wu, he enabled his master to conquer the rival state of Yüeh, after which he retired, saying that his master was one with whom a man might share adversity, but not prosperity.
     • Chang Liang 張良 — Chang Liang, d. 187 B. C., was the chief adviser of the founder of the Han dynasty.  Although generally upright, he has been condemned for advising the violation of a treaty.  In his defense it is said that the treaty would eventually have been broken in any case, and that by being the first to break it, he enabled his master to become the ruler of China  Shortly after Han Kao Tsu became emperor, he retired from public life.
4. The Leader of a State 國體
   • The leader of states has the above three primary qualities, all three in completeness.  His/her virtue is sufficient to encourage the keeping of the mores; his/her law is enough to set the world right; his/her plans are able to win victory from within the temple.
   • Proper office:  san-kung 三公 — "the three dukes," elders of great experience, whose advice was asked by the emperor on grave questions, but who took no part in the actual administration.
   • Examples:
     • Yi Yin 伊尹 — Yi Yin, 18th century B. C., minister of T‘ang, the founder of the Shang dynasty, is a legendary figure of Chinese history.  Unfortunately the admirable speeches attributed to him in the Book of History are probably late compositions.
     • Lü Wang 呂望 — Lü Wang is one of the names given to the man generally referred to as Chiang T‘ai Kung, 姜太公.  He lived in the 11th and 12th centuries B. C., and was an adviser of the founder of the Chou dynasty.  Many legends and a cult have gathered about him.
5. The Person of Instrumental Ability 器能
   • The person of instrumental ability has all three primary qualities in small measure.  His/her virtue is enough to lead a state; his/her law is sufficient to set right a village or a town; his/her plans are able to meet the exigencies of affairs.
   • Proper office:  prime minister — the chief of the six ministers, ranking below the three dukes.
   • Examples:
     • Tzu Ch‘an 子產 — Tzu Ch‘an, 581-521 B. C., was a minister of the state of Ch‘eng for forty years.  An older contemporary of Confucius, his tablet was placed in the Confucian temple in A. D. 1857.  He was praised by Confucius for combining leniency and strict laws in governing the people.  His name was Kung-sun Ch‘iao, 公孫僑.
     • Hsi-men Pao 西門豹 — Hsi-men Pao, 5th century B. C., was a magistrate in the modern province of Honan.  He found that the chief men and sorcerers of the place were securing large sums in order to provide a wife for the river god.  They would then drown a poor girl in the river.  Pao objected that the girl was not beautiful enough, and told the sorcerers they must report to the god that a more beautiful one would be chosen.  Accordingly he had them thrown into the river.  As they did not return, he told the chief men that they must go to discover the cause of the delay.  After this, the custom is said to have lapsed.
6. The Critic 臧否
   • Approximating the person of sublime behavior, the critic is unable to be all-embracing and considerate.  He/she likes to be sarcastic and scornful, and to discriminate between right and wrong.
   • Proper office:  assistant to the teacher.
   • Examples:
     • Tzu Hsia 子夏 — Tzu Hsia, whose name was P‘u Shang 卜商, was born in 507 B. C.  He was a prominent disciple of Confucius, who is said to have given into his charge the texts of the Odes and the Spring and Autumn Annals.  He was a magistrate in the state of Lu, but went into retirement after the death of his master.
7. The Practical Person 技倆
   • Approximating the statesperson, the practical person is unable to evolve new ideas and plan far ahead, yet able to perform the duties of an office, to polish ideas and carry them out cleverly.
   • Proper office:  ssu-k‘ung 司空 — minister of industry, one of the six ministers, in charge of "water and land."
   • Examples:
     • Chang Ch‘ang 張敞 — Chang Ch‘ang, d. 48 B. C., was an official of Han Yüan Ti.  He was distinguished as the governor of several districts and provinces, and noted for the good advice he gave the emperor.  He was a scholar of considerable reputation, and fearless in his denunciation of irregular conduct.
     • Chao Kuang-han 趙廣漢 — Chao Kuang-han flourished during the reign of Han Hsüan Ti, 57-49 B. C.  He was a magistrate of the metropolitan district, and noted for his efficient administration.  Condemned because of the hatreds his justice had aroused, a crowd of men offered to die in his place, but without avail.
8. The Astute Person 智意
   • Approximating the strategist, the astute person is unable to found institutions and form permanent policies, yet able to use his/her versatility in changing circumstances.  He/she has more than enough wisdom and cunning, but is deficient in character.
   • Proper office:  assistant to the prime minister.
   • Examples:
     • Ch‘en P‘ing 陳平 — Ch‘en P‘ing, d. 178 B. C., first served the Prince of Wei, then Hsiang Chi, and finally Liu Pang.  When the latter became the first emperor of the Han dynasty, he became minister.  He served under the Empress Lu, but after her death defeated the plot of her family to set up a new dynasty.  He was the chief minister of Han Wen Ti, whom he was instrumental in seating on the throne.  He was the author of a number of clever devices famous in Chinese history, such as the trick by which he undermined the confidence of Hsiang Chi in his adviser, Fan Tseng.
     • Han An-kuo 韓安國 — Han An-kuo, 2nd century B. C., was an official of Han Wu Ti, noted for his wise plans.  He was merciful, and opposed to war and cruelty.  Eventually he was defeated by the Hsiung-nu, and died of mortification.

Learning and Scholarship Abilities

1. The Literary Person 文章
   • The literary person is able to compose essays and write books.
   • Proper office:  imperial historiographer.
   • Examples:
     • Ssu-ma Ch‘ien 司馬遷 — Ssu-ma Ch‘ien, circa 145-88 B. C., was Grand Astronomer under Han Wu Ti.  At one time he was disgraced, but was later reinstated.  He is known for his reform of the calendar, and as the author of the first of the great dynastic histories, which has been partly translated by Chavannes.
     • Pan Ku 班固 — Pan Ku, d. A. D. 92, was like Ssu-ma Ch‘ien in being a member of a famous family, and also in being known as an author, rather than as an executive.  His father, brother, and sister were all famous.  He was the chief author of the second of the dynastic histories, the Ch‘ien Han shu.
2. The Learned Person 儒學
   • The learned person can transmit the doctrines of sages, but is incapable of action and administrative duties.
   • Proper office:  pacificator.
   • Examples:
     • Mao Kung 毛公 — There are two men known as Mao Kung.  Here Mao Heng, 毛亨, is meant.  He was a scholar of the 3rd and 2nd century B. C., author of a commentary on the Odes, and responsible for the version of the Odes now generally accepted.
     • Kuan Kung 貫公 — Kuan Kung, circa 200 B. C., was the teacher of Chia Yi, 賈誼, and was famous as an authority on the Tso chuan.  He was an official (Po shih 博士) of the Prince of Ho Chien.
3. The Dialectician 口辯
   • The dialectician's discussions do not enter Tao, but his/her conversation is full and fluent.
   • Proper office:  the minister of foreign affairs.
   • Examples:
     • Lo Yi 樂毅 — Lo Yi, 5th and 4th centuries B. C., was a native of the state of Wei.  Sent on an embassy to Yen, he entered the service of the ruler of that state, becoming a successful general.  He was later disgraced by a trick of the rival state of Ch‘i, and fled to Chao.  After Ch‘i defeated Yen, the ruler of Yen asked him to return, but he refused.  He was also noted for literary attainments and skill in debate.
     • Tsao-ch‘iu Sheng 曹丘生 — Tsao-ch‘iu Sheng was a native of the state of Ch‘u toward the close of the 3rd century B. C.  He was the guest and adviser of a sort of knight-errant named Chi Pu, 季布.  The latter acted, while the former did whatever speaking was necessary.  He was so skillful in this, that a Chinese who asks someone to speak for him requests the man to act as his Tsao-ch‘iu.

Military Ability

1. The Hero 雄傑
   • The hero's courage and strength are superior to the average, his/her ability and tactics surpass those of the mass of people.
   • Proper office:  commander — the general in the field.
   • Examples:
     • Po Ch‘i 白起 — Po Ch‘i, d. 258 B. C., was a famous soldier of the Ch‘in state, to whose supremacy he made a large contribution.  He is said on one occasion to have murdered 400,000 soldiers of the state of Chao who had surrendered to him.  Eventually he was forced to commit suicide.
     • Han Hsin 韓信 — Han Hsin, d. 196 B. C., was the chief general of the founder of the Han dynasty, and one of the most famous military strategists and heroes of China.  After Han Kao Tsu was firmly on the throne, Han Hsin was suspected of planning a rebellion, and was executed.  A Chinese proverb says, "Beautiful girls and good soldiers never see their hair turn white."

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