Tang Taizong's famous saying "If you look at people as a mirror, you can know the gains and losses." This means that using wise men as a mirror can help you understand the gains and losses of governance.

Source

The words and sentences come from "New Tang Book·Biography·Volume 22·Wei Zheng" written by Ouyang Xiu, Song Qi and others.

Original sentence

Use copper as a mirror to correct your clothes; use the past as a mirror to understand the ups and downs; use people as a mirror to understand gains and losses. I try to protect these three principles and guard against my own mistakes. Now that Wei Zheng has passed away, Yi Jian has perished.

Interpretation

Taizong later came to the court and sighed: "Using copper as a mirror, you can straighten your clothes; using ancient history as a mirror, you can understand the rise and fall of the dynasty; using wise men as a mirror , I can understand the gains and losses of governance. I once kept these three mirrors to prevent my mistakes internally. Now that Wei Zheng has passed away, I have lost one mirror.

Minister Wei Zheng can. He bluntly provided opinions to Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty and often expressed his opinions directly at the court. Because Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty was able to listen to correct opinions, during his reign, the politics was clear and the society was stable. The Tang Dynasty experienced economic prosperity and strong national power. Wei Zheng died of illness. Later, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty burst into tears and was very sad. He ordered a stele to be erected for Wei Zheng and wrote the inscription himself. Taizong often missed Wei Zheng and said to the officials with emotion: "Use copper as a mirror to correct your clothes and people. To know gains and losses, we can learn from history and know the ups and downs. "He compared Wei Zheng to a mirror.

Reference materials

Gushiwen website: http://so.gushiwen.org/guwen/bookv_7743.aspx