《资治通鉴·周纪》06丨魏文侯选谁当宰相呢（1）

Summary

This 芮淇讲透资治通鉴 episode fills in the 魏文侯 chancellor-selection question that the adjacent part 2 only uses as a title frame. It centers on 李克 / 李悝’s five situational tests for judging people, the contest between 魏成 and 翟黄, and the difference between recommending many capable subordinates and attracting people a ruler treats as teachers. The second half turns to 吴起, using his morally troubling record and military value to complicate the wiki’s 才德之分 branch with a more role-fit-oriented use of flawed talent.

Key Claims

• In 389 BCE, 魏文侯 considers two chancellor candidates, 魏成 and 翟黄, and asks 李克 for advice.
• Li Ke first avoids giving a direct name, then offers five situational character tests: observe a person’s intimates, associates after wealth, referrals after promotion, boundaries under duress, and refusals under poverty.
• Di Huang’s claim rests on referral service: he says he recommended 吴起 for West River, 西门豹 for Ye, 乐羊 for 中山国, Li Ke for Zhongshan administration, and 屈侯鲋 as teacher for the ruler’s son.
• Li Ke says the decision remains Wei Wenhou’s, but infers that Wei Cheng wins because he spends most of his income outside the household and thereby attracts 子夏, 田子方, and 段干木, figures Wei Wenhou honors as teachers.
• The episode’s personnel lesson is not simply “more recommendations wins”; it argues that referral quality and level matter because some people become usable ministers while others raise the ruler’s own horizon.
• The source identifies Li Ke with early Warring States reform and says his legal tradition helped shape later Qin law through 商鞅, though this remains a compact source-scoped claim.
• Wu Qi is introduced through the “killing his wife to seek command” story in 鲁国, where 齐国’s attack creates a loyalty test because his wife is from Qi.
• The episode keeps Wu Qi’s reputation problem visible: his military talent is extraordinary, but allegations about ambition, lust, filial conduct, and personal ruthlessness make him hard to trust.
• Li Ke’s advice to Wei Wenhou on Wu Qi is a role-fit judgment: despite Wu Qi’s defects, his military ability is presented as surpassing 司马穰苴, so Wei can use him for war against 秦国.

Key Quotes

“居视其所亲，富视其所与。” - Li Ke’s opening character-test pair.

“达视其所举，穷视其所不为。” - the episode’s promotion-and-duress tests.

“贫视其所不取。” - the poverty-and-temptation test.

“我愿意终身为你的弟子。” - Di Huang’s surrender after Li Ke explains the Wei Cheng comparison.

Connections

• 芮淇讲透资治通鉴, 《资治通鉴》, 司马光, and 战国时期 - show, base text, compiler frame, and period setting.
• 魏文侯, 魏国, 魏成, 翟黄, and 李克 - chancellor-selection branch.
• Situational Character Tests / 五观识人法 and Talent Referral Quality / 荐才层级质量 - main concepts contributed by the source.
• 子夏, 田子方, 段干木, and Talent Attraction Through Respect / 礼贤下士式人才吸附 - teacher-level talent branch explaining Wei Cheng’s advantage.
• 吴起, 鲁国, 齐国, 秦国, 司马穰苴, Talent-Virtue Distinction / 才德之分, and Use Strengths Over Faults / 用人取长弃短 - flawed-talent and military-use branch.
• 西门豹, 乐羊, 中山国, and 屈侯鲋 - Di Huang’s referral list.
• Legalist Ruler Technique / 法家君术, 商鞅, and Warring States Reform Backlash / 战国变法反噬 - reform/legal tradition adjacency.

Contradictions

• No direct contradiction found. This source qualifies the existing part 2 note by showing that the “魏文侯选谁当宰相” title question is developed in part 1, while part 2 remains a bridge into military leadership and chronology.