Dead Horse
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Since Yan was defeated by Qi, King Zhao was bent on taking revenge on his foe. He wanted to recruit men of talent to work for him and make Yan a strong country. He asked Mr. Guo Wei for advice.
Guo Wei said, “If your ambition is to rule an empire, you work with your mentors. If your ambition is to rule a kingdom, you work with your friends. If your ambition is to be a warlord, you work with your subjects. And the loser mixes himself with those who are only fit to be his servants.”
“What should I do to attract talents?”
“If you wait upon them with humility, you’ll attract those who are a hundred times better than you. If you are the first to come to work and the last to take a rest, you’ll attract those who are ten times better than you. If others run and you run as fast as them, you’ll attract those who are as good as you are. If you order them about with a stick, you’ll only attract those who are fit to be your servants. To enlist the able and virtuous, you must call upon them yourself.”
“Who should I call upon first?”
“Let me tell you a story. An ancient king loved horses. He offered a thousand ounces of gold for a stallion that could run a thousand li a day. But for three years he was unable to get one. A courtier offered to travel around the country to look for one. The king gave him a grand sum of money for the purchase. Three months later the courtier came back with the bones of a dead horse that reputedly ran a thousand li a day when it was alive. He paid five hundred ounces of gold for its remains.
“The king was furious. ‘I want a live horse. Why did you waste my money on a dead one?’
”‘Your Majesty, if people know you are willing to pay five hundred ounces for a dead horse, I’m sure you’ll find a fast horse soon.’
“In less than a year the king was able to obtain three very fast horses.”
Guo Wei went on to say, “Now if Your Majesty wants to attract talented men, you should start with me. I’m not that talented. If I am given a senior position and treated well, those who are more capable than I will definitely come to you.”
The king built a mansion for Guo Wei and treated him respectfully as though Guo Wei were his tutor. As the word spread, many talented men came to offer him their service. Among them the most famous was Yue Yi who eventually helped the king conquer Qi, wiping out the humiliation of defeat.
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Wifely Wisdom
Wise Proverbs
- Buy a carcass with a thousand taels of silver.
- 千金买骨。
- Who loves others is loved by others; whoever benefits others is benefited by other.
- 爱人者，人必从而爱之；利人者，人必从而利之。
- If a country wants to grow rapidly, nothing is better than cultivating talent.
- 终身之计，莫如树人。
Editor Says:
Gou Wei’s advice on people management contains immortal truth, and the fable of the dead horse is perennially instructive.