兴贤：兴，举用也；兴贤，谈进用人才。 王安石（1021－1086）字介甫，晚号半山，小字獾郎，封荆国公，世人又称王荆公，世称临川先生。抚州临川人（现为抚州 东乡县上池里阳村人)，汉族。1085年，哲宗即位，起用司马光为相，新法全被废除。王安石变法，使北宋积贫积弱的局面得到了一定程度的改变。《兴贤》是他为后来的改革制造声势的文章。

王安石·《兴贤》

国以任贤使能而兴，弃贤专己而衰。此二者，必然之势，古今之通义，流俗所共知耳。何治安之世有之而能兴，昏乱之世虽有之亦不兴？盖用之与不用之谓矣。有贤而用，国之福也，有之而不用，犹无有也。商之兴也，有仲虺、伊尹，其衰也，亦有三仁。周之兴也，同心者十人，其衰也，亦有祭公谋父、内史过。两汉之兴也，有萧、曹、寇、邓之徒，其衰也，亦有王嘉、傅喜、陈蕃、李固之众。魏、晋而下，至于李唐，不可遍举，然其间兴衰之世，亦皆同也。由此观之，有贤而用之者，国之福也，有之而不用，犹无有也，可不慎欤？

今犹古也，今之天下亦古之天下，今之士民亦古之士民。古虽扰攘之际，犹有贤能若是之众，况今太宁，岂曰无之？在君上用之而已。博询众庶，则才能者进矣；不有忌讳，则谠直之路开矣；不迩小人，则谗谀者自远矣；不拘文牵俗，则守职者辨治矣；不责人以细过，则能吏之志得以尽其效矣。苟行此道，则何虑不跨两汉、轶三代，然后践五帝、三皇之途哉。

Advocacy of Talents

---by Wang Anshi

A nation thrives when it appoints and utilizes talents, but it declines when it neglects these talents and its ruler monopolizes everything. This is irreversible—true in the past and true at present and known even by common people. But how is it that a nation in good order can thrive with its talents while a nation in chaos cannot in spite of its talents? This is only a matter of whether talents are utilized or not. If a nation utilizes them, a good fortune will come to it; otherwise, it is just as though they do not exist. There were talents like Zhong Hui and Yi Yin when Shang was flourishing, but as it declined, there were also three talents. There were ten talents making a concerted effort for the King when Zhou was on its rise, but on its fall, there were also talents like Duke Zhai Moufu and Nei Shiguo. There were talents like Xiao He, Cao Can, Kou Xun, Deng Yu, etc. in the prime of both the Eastern Han and the Western Han, but on their downfall, there were also a great number of talents like Wang Jia, Fu Xi, Chen Fan, and Li Gu. From Wei and Jin down to the Tang Dynasty, there were too many talents to list, but again there were talents for both thriving and declining periods. Looking from this perspective, it is indeed good fortune for a nation when there are talents and they are utilized, but they are as good as nonexistent if these talents exist but are not utilized. We could not afford not to be cautious about this!

Things at present and in the past are identical: today’s world is like yesterday’s and today’s people are like yesterday’s. There were as many talents as mentioned above at times of chaos in the past; how can we say there are none today when we are at peace? It is solely a matter of whether high officials utilized these talents.

Inquire among the masses and talents will be found; if there are no taboos, the passages for honest advice will be open; if there is no pampering of snobs or sycophants, then they will not approach; if there are no literary restrictions and conventional scruples, then people on duty will have lucid judgment in fulfilling their responsibilities; if there are no punishments for lapses, then able officials will be able to give their full play. If we strictly abide by these principles, how can we not surpass the Two Hans and exceed the Three Dynasties to scale the same flourishing heights as the Three Kings and the Five Lords?