By name: personnel-evaluation-by-humanity description: "Use when vetting subordinates or appointees for trustworthiness. Applies Guan Zhong's humanity test (非人情) to identify dangerous individuals who violate natural bonds — parental, family, and self-preservation — to gain power."
Personnel Evaluation by Humanity Test
Overview
A method attributed to Guan Zhong for identifying untrustworthy individuals by examining whether their actions violate basic human nature and natural affections.
Core Principle
People who violate fundamental human bonds to please superiors cannot be trusted. Their extreme actions indicate they seek personal gain at any cost.
Evaluation Criteria
Test 1: Parental Bond Test
- Question: Has the person harmed their own children to please a superior?
- Example: Yi Ya (易牙) killed his own son to cook for the ruler
- Verdict: "非人情，不可" (Against human nature, cannot be trusted)
Test 2: Family Loyalty Test
- Question: Has the person abandoned or betrayed their parents/close family for a superior?
- Example: Kai Fang (开方) left his parents to serve
- Verdict: "非人情，难近" (Against human nature, difficult to approach safely)
Test 3: Self-Preservation Test
- Question: Has the person mutilated themselves to please a superior?
- Example: Shu Diao (竖刀) castrated himself to serve in the palace
- Verdict: "非人情，难亲" (Against human nature, difficult to trust closely)
Decision Matrix
| Violation Type | Trust Level | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Harmed child | None | Never appoint |
| Abandoned family | Very Low | Keep at distance |
| Self-mutilation | Low | Do not give power |
| None of above | Evaluate further | Proceed with other tests |
Expected Outcomes
- Identification of potentially treacherous individuals before they gain power
- Protection of the state from those who lack natural human bonds
- More reliable leadership team
Validation
- Confirm each candidate is evaluated against all three tests: parental bond (Yi Ya model), family loyalty (Kai Fang model), and self-preservation (Shu Diao model)
- Verify that anyone flagged as 非人情 is excluded from positions of power regardless of their apparent usefulness
- Check that candidates who pass all three tests proceed to further evaluation rather than being automatically trusted