Chen Liang (1143—1194) was a thinker and writer in the Southern Song Dynasty and the founder of Yongkang School. The word Tongfu, ancestral home of Wuzhou (now Zhejiang) Yongkang. Because he lives in Longku village outside the city, scholars also call him Mr. Longchuan. When I was young, I liked to talk about soldiers and wrote On the Ancient. When Xiao Zong wrote the Five Theories of Zhongxing, he wrote to the emperor, urging him to resist gold and oppose peace talks. Jealous by the authorities, he was imprisoned three times and flogged. Running a school at home, giving lectures and writing works in his later years. At the age of 50, he took the Jinshi exam and was the first in Guangzong. He was awarded a book to establish a Camfrog judge, but he didn't go to his post. He is knowledgeable and has made great achievements in literature, history, philosophy and political theory. The remaining works are mainly included in the 30 volumes of Longchuan Collected Works. For details, please refer to History of Song Dynasty, Volume 36, Scholars, and Song and Yuan Learning Cases, Volume 56, Longchuan Learning Cases.

Chen Liang lived in the period of confrontation between the Southern Song Dynasty and the Jin Dynasty. Class contradictions and ethnic contradictions were intertwined sharply, and the commodity economy in the South developed at the same time. Chen Liang basically reflected the interests of the industrial and commercial landlord class, demanding a stable environment to develop the industry of the industrial and commercial landlord, and at the same time eager to gain political status. He put forward the idea of "doing practical things", hoping that the supreme ruler would "take the materials from the world and use them", which reflected the political requirement of protecting the interests of the industrial and commercial landlord class and demanded to change its political status and promote talents from the lower intellectuals of the landlord class. If the thought of "achievement" runs through Chen Liang's whole thought and theory, then his talent thought is the outstanding performance of his achievement thought.

In the world view, Chen Liang admits the materiality of the world, and thinks that "the rich in the universe have nothing, and there is nothing between daily use", so "there is nothing outside the world". "The way of a husband is in the world, and everything is different. If you do it according to the situation, you can concentrate on saving the province and realize it where you have done it. " In other words, objective things have their own laws, things move according to their own laws, and specific things have specific laws. Therefore, all human actions can only proceed from "hard work" and "hard work", and everything can only be realistic and pragmatic. Chen Liang's talent thought fully embodies the characteristics of his professional thought. In view of the talent malady of "all the scholars in the world knew each other" at that time, and the need of the Southern Song Dynasty to confront the Jin State, restore the Central Plains, and solve the economic and political crisis of the small court, the author advocated a thorough reform of the employment system, so that scholars could "fill their talents and fill their gas" and talents had the opportunity to display their talents and give full play to their talents in order to maintain the "long-term stability" of the landlord class regime. To this end, he wrote to Emperor Xiaozong many times, criticizing the selection and employment system at that time, and expressed his own ideas on talent selection and appointment.

The Book of Xiao Zong of Shang Dynasty consists of four chapters, which was written in the fifth and fifteenth years of Xichun. In the fifth year of Xichun (1 178), 36-year-old Chen Liang went to Lin 'an. On the 19th day of the first month, Ding Siyi wrote a letter to Emperor Xiaozong (the first book), urging him to reward talents, cheer up his spirit, actively resist the gold in the north and never settle down in the southeast corner. Xiaozong was frightened and wanted to list the imperial court to motivate his ministers; Plant a story, call it to the temple and use it. The minister hated his outspoken comments and kept them to himself. So I stood by for eight days, and there was no news, so I wrote another book (the second book). When the Prime Minister asked him what he wanted to say, he poured a lot. It doesn't agree. I stood for more than ten days, and then I went to see that book (the third book). The emperor wants to be an official. Chen Liang said, "I want to be the foundation of this country for hundreds of years. Why not be an official? " Come back across the river. In the fifteenth year of Xichun (1 188), Emperor Gaozong died in Lin 'an, and the envoys of the Jin Dynasty came to hang him with contempt. The cat was very angry, and wrote a letter of filial piety again, stating the meaning of revenge (The Book of Emperor Wu Shen Filial Piety), but was angry with the court and thought it was crazy, so it was unnecessary.

Chen Liang's several letters, aimed at resisting national rejuvenation, discussed his own reform ideas in politics, economy, culture and education around the talent issue, criticized the corruption and erosion of talents by Taoist education and feudal autocracy, and put forward specific measures for selecting and appointing talents, which made his talent thought have a distinct sense of the times and realistic pertinence, filled with patriotic enthusiasm, and revealed the essential problems such as the relationship between society and talents to some extent.

Chen Liang believes that the reality of resisting national rejuvenation urgently needs talents with real talents and practical learning. He pointed out that things are unpredictable, which is beyond the intelligence and energy of the monarch. Even a monarch with superior wisdom must rely on talents to achieve great things. Talents are far-sighted, resourceful, and thoughtful about the way to govern the country. They are indispensable powerful assistants of the monarch. Therefore, since ancient times, every monarch should widely accept talents and reuse talents to achieve his own goals. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, vassal states bought and trained talents at all costs for their own prosperity. Emperor Gaozu was able to defeat Xiang Yu and unify the world because of the outstanding achievements of Sean and others. Fang, Wen Yanbo, Li Jing and other sages kept reminding me that Emperor Taizong seized power and realized the rule of Zhenguan. Song Gaozong appointed treacherous court official Qin Gui and rejected Zhongliang, which led to repeated wars and defeats in the War of Resistance Against Gold. It can be seen that talent is the guarantee of the rise and fall of the country, and the monarch must rely on sages to govern the country, and sages actually help him make a name for himself and realize his great ambitions. The two complement each other and no one can do without him. No matter how to govern the national government, defend the frontier, stabilize the society and develop production, it is inseparable from talents. Only when talents are in power can we stick to the territory, improve North Korean politics, stabilize social order and ensure economic and cultural life. Therefore, "only extraordinary people can have extraordinary achievements." "If extraordinary people are in total, electricity will sweep Liuhe, and there is no blame."

Chen Liang hated the imperial examination system very much, so he wrote many articles, mercilessly exposing and sharply criticizing the shackles and devastation of the imperial examination system on talents at that time and the serious drawbacks of the imperial examination. Chen Liang pointed out that at that time, "there were almost tens of thousands of people who chose to interpret, but they were very lucky and poor." There is no objective standard in the imperial examination, which is purely a fluke. In his view, "the country chooses scholars by imperial examination" means "restraining the heroes of the world by the standard of rules". This system of selecting and employing people, which is based on the theory of "judging by the scale of scholars and seniority of officials", takes the classic dogma of family or Confucianism as the standard for selecting talents and buries real talents. As a result, "this dynasty ruled the world with Confucianism, while everyone in the world knew righteousness as a routine and the imperial examination was the right way." People can't talk about their own affairs, and they can't avoid their wisdom. After 200 years of peace, they will come out. " As for the hard-to-change, show wisdom and integrity, I don't know where the merits are; No one can extricate himself from knowing the meaning and keeping it, using it without knowing it and turning it into grammar. "

At the same time, Chen Liang strongly opposes the old law of seniority in selecting and using talents. He thinks that this "qualification plus award" system of selecting and employing people makes bureaucrats and nobles with vested power monopolize their official careers, hinders people of insight from serving the country and stifles useful talents. Because these "stupid and dirty people" hinder the progress of talents, "only those who cross the border can abandon them, and the sun and the moon will waste time, and the veteran will arrive." Chen Liang's analysis is really sharp, spicy and painful.

In the history of China's talent thought, Chen Liang linked the talent problem with the autocratic monarchy in feudal society for the first time, sharply criticized the autocratic monarchy, and everything was arbitrary by the monarch. He believes that this is the universal root of mediocrity, which in turn becomes the foundation and soil of absolute monarchy. Marx once pointed out: "Generally speaking, the principle of monarchy is to despise and despise people, so that people cannot be human." Therefore, "mediocrity is the material that constitutes a monarchy." Chen Liang believes that the autocratic system is too dead for the lieutenants to take care of themselves. "The size of the country allows the world to play by the rules. I didn't save my ministers. Why didn't I have time to expand my body to help me? Therefore, it must be weak. " In practice, the Chen family realized that the autocratic system sought the stability of its political power by suppressing talents and eroding wisdom: "When the Emperor Yizu made his fortune, scholars took it according to the balance, officials advanced with capital, did not seek extraordinary talents, and did not admire peerless achievements ... humiliated the scholar-officials with courtesy, spared the people's lives with benevolence, and raised the world with regulations, thus forming the foundation of 200 years of peace." Under the absolute monarchy, ministers and small officials can only abide by the "sacred will", but they can't talk about it. If they are a little careless and violate the "dragon's face", then "no matter the size of the crime, the literati are afraid of things." It is the feudal autocracy itself that has created a group of slaves and mediocrities who "do nothing but write documents", and only slaves and mediocrities can live in peace with the autocratic monarchy, which is the root of hopeless resistance to national rejuvenation. The emperor's idea of "driving away the mediocre and ensnaring the little Confucianism" made "those who go out of bounds often feel ashamed", "had to relax their ambitions" and made "the sage worry privately and the traitor snicker", and the talent was also declining. "Therefore, only Nuo Nuo, looking for a chapter to handle affairs, all" passive Nuo Nuo ",doing nothing, this is the inevitable growth of feudal monarchy, is a major feature of feudal bureaucracy.

Chen Liang also severely criticized the "adult way" advocated by Taoism. In his view, Taoism's so-called "adult way" and "Confucianism is self-disciplined with wine" are to teach people to sit back and wait for death, to be independent, regardless of the survival of the country and the interests of the people; When the nomads from the army is advancing step by step, and half of the country is in danger, they can only sit still and do nothing. This "adult way" means "acting in violation of precepts, acting for righteousness, courtesy in a cage, and wisdom in argument", and "making the monarch and his subjects go up and down, rest for a while, and leave China out of their worries". When the broad masses of people and patriots in the north fought bloody battles with the forces of the Nuzhen nobles, the literati "endured humiliation and shouldered heavy burdens, turned around and took peace as the decoration." These people are shameless enough to drag out an ignoble existence! The specialty of "pure Confucianism" can only be empty talk about life, without real talent and practical learning. And don't talk about actual work. " It is crazy to think that you are an artist from a rich country in Qiang Bing, and you are confused with screaming people. I don't pay attention to the foundation and outcome of the country in my spare time, but I am proud to talk about prosperity. I don't know what prosperity is. ""there are hundreds of thousands of people in the field, and the difference between pen and ink is enough to dominate! ""Scholars in the world say Wang Zhidao first, which is not enough to know your majesty's heart, ... but it is not enough to know your majesty's righteousness, and the only scholar in the world tends to secular things. When it comes to recovery, Xiu De will wait for time; Speaking of prosperity, it is to save love; When it comes to governing the country, it means being upright and upright; At the last moment, it is to obey the law. The monarch takes admonition as beauty, and the minister takes knowing his heart and seeing his nature as wisdom. On keeping your word and painting a saint. The whole world calls it orthodoxy, and the bachelor's degree is combined into one word, which is not the same as your majesty. "It is Taoism education and feudal autocracy both inside and outside, which makes the society poor and useless and makes people mentally decadent. The so-called "pure Confucianism" cultivated by Taoist education does not meet the needs of reality and the original intention of Confucius' "adult" teaching. Chen Liang believes that a real "adult" should be a "world hero" who is knowledgeable and can promote advantages and eliminate disadvantages.

Anti-Japanese War and Harmony with the Lord were not only two opposing political forces at that time, but also involved in all aspects of thought, culture and education. Chen Liang's talent thought, like his political stance, is related to his resistance to the realistic political requirements of national rejuvenation, which embodies the patriotic spirit of his talent thought. He believes that peace and surrender were the direct political reasons that stifled talents and produced mediocrity at that time. "Qin Gui advocates evil ... loyal ministers and righteous men, Dingnan dies, and the world is lazy." Making peace with Kim will make the whole society lose confidence, be lifeless, waste talents, be full of mediocrity, be divorced from reality, talk on paper, and the final result can only be failure. In this process of inaction, mediocre people often succeed, while talented people fail. "Stupid and dirty people can obey orders and execute documents in order to serve your majesty's mission. Your majesty is also very lucky, and it is easy to control without him. It's just that those who go beyond the scope can't give it up, and the sun and the moon will run out and the veteran will come. Therefore, the minister said, "Peace leads to security, and peace leads to both benefits. "..." When the northern and southern corners were established, abandoned soldiers made people lazy, and they could be content to forget their father's great hatred. China was left out in the cold and could only be foolish. "

The realistic struggle against Jin Xingguo is the foundation, condition and effective way to cultivate talents for governing the country and safeguarding the country. "During the hundred years of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the north and the south were impassable, so its ministers galloped and there were many talents available." Being in a state of combat readiness is a good opportunity for heroes to use martial saints: "It is a blessing for the country to make the ruling and opposition parties come to the territory consistently, and heroes use it to compete for the world." Only by resolutely rejecting peace and resolutely resisting Japan is the way to inspire people, cultivate available talents and eliminate vulgar people.

The discovery and use of talents is another important aspect of Chen Liang's talent thought. The premise of "talent is use" lies in finding talents and being good at distinguishing the authenticity of talents. Chen Liang said that talent "was mixed in the unknowable before it was discovered." Flatterers are called crazy, really crazy, and occasionally. Talent and arrogance are often difficult to distinguish, and shocking talent is not understood by ordinary people and is dismissed as crazy; Talented people can be crazy when they are suspicious, while those who treat each other as equals are hard to distinguish between true and false, and it is difficult to find talented people. This is also a common problem in talent appraisal.

Chen Liang advocates selecting talents who are really familiar with practical affairs from ordinary real life. He believes: "The ministers are not enough to see the light, the grass is full of soldiers, and they are not enough to worry about the country ... I thought I was in a detention center, when I had outstanding ambition in the grass and realized a saint." He especially praised Tang Taizong for his eclectic selection of talents, which set an example for later emperors.

Chen Liang also put forward the view that extraordinary things must be used in extraordinary ways. "Have extraordinary talent, and then you can build extraordinary achievements. The first extraordinary thing is that you can't work with ordinary people. " "Those who seek extraordinary achievements and use ordinary talents, make ordinary plans, and respond to ordinary things, don't wait for the wise and then know that they are not good." Therefore, "extraordinary life, people are afraid of Yan", the reason why heroes are shocking is because they want to change. "Without the eyes and ears of the new world and the ambition of Yi Simin, all I want is an ordinary ear." To seek extraordinary talents, it is necessary to "break the old rules and not use inferior personnel", that is, to abolish the imperial examination system of "selecting talents by standards" and the bureaucratic selection and promotion system of "employing people by qualifications" and "reward heroes all over the world with abilities outside the rules."

Chen Liang further expounded the fundamental way to select talents from his thought of political achievements. He said: "talent can be judged by talent, and those who can sit still do not rely on talent;" Soldiers can see their own surplus and deficiency by using food, and people who take advantage of it can't. "The only way to select talents lies in' use' and' natural selection, and talents come forth in large numbers'. Writing should be based on the ability to deal with the world, and martial arts should be based on the ability to foresee the enemy's victory. Only when human intelligence is applied to practice and verified by practice can it be regarded as real intelligence. Talents can only show their talents in specific practical activities. Talent's knowledge and talent will only grow in practice. Therefore, only "see if it can be used" is the only correct way to select talents. The promotion, rewards and punishments of talents are determined by actual achievements, so that they will not be deceived from top to bottom, thus making it impossible for those who want to sell their false reputation. This is completely opposite to the purport of Taoist style of study, which advocates quietness and talks about Taoism. This is not only a question of ways and means of selecting talents, but also a question of basic principles of education.

In order to give full play to people's talents, Chen Liang proposed that we should comprehensively measure and understand talents in essence, and don't seek perfection and blame, be emotional, and lose big because of small. He criticized a phenomenon that the talented people can't make the best use of it, but the mediocre people succeeded: "The talented people give up easily, and the talented people make smooth use of it;" Words are wasted because of pedantry, and words are soft; Strange theory refers to horizontal discussion, which is typical. "Because of the' perfect monster' in employing people, decadent and mediocre people are flooding government agencies, and people with courage and insight are not reused. This is a common problem in the use of talents, especially the use of pioneering talents. Under the feudal autocracy, this is indeed an unsolvable problem. In mediocre politics, talents will inevitably be squeezed out. " Get a scholar in the morning and be driven by the inconvenience of the road at dusk; I know I am a mediocre person, but I don't want to stay outside. "

Chen Liang's thought represents the interests of the lower landlord class with industrial and commercial nature, shouting the slogan of "doing practical things", facing reality and stressing practical results. Talent thought is the outstanding embodiment of his political achievements thought. However, the talents he asked for promotion and appointment can only be "people of insight" among the landlords in the Southern Song Dynasty who can save the dying situation. The ultimate goal of his talent thought is to maintain the rule of the small dynasty in the Southern Song Dynasty, so that "the sage is in office, the capable person is in office, and the people have nothing to worry about, so it is a test of great achievements." It enabled the rulers of the Southern Song Dynasty to make great efforts to make great contributions to the world. "I am determined to destroy Lu." This thought represents the radical thought of the landlord class, and is indeed much more realistic and progressive than the Taoist educational concept of "preserving righteousness and destroying human desires" represented by Zhu. At the same time, we should also see that while emphasizing "work", Chen Liang attaches importance to practical utility, faces reality, selects talents from reality, opposes empty talk between Confucianism and Taoism, and goes to extremes, which leads him to despise the importance of abstract thinking and theoretical guidance. In addition, his theory of talent growth also lacks realistic and practical basis.