This sentence means: Talent is the auxiliary of virtue; Virtue is the commander-in-chief of talent. Only in this way can we help and realize morality, but if we have talent without morality, it will certainly do harm to society. Therefore, virtue is a commander in chief and a guide to talents. Selected from "Zhou Ji Zhou Ji Yi" by Sima Guang, the original text is as follows:

Chen Guang said: Zhi Bo's death also won the virtue. A man's talent is different from his virtue, but the worldly mo can distinguish it, which means that he is virtuous, so he loses people. Fu Cong observes that being strong and resolute means talent, while being honest and neutral means virtue. Talent is the capital of virtue; Virtue, talent is handsome.

the bamboo with a cloud and a dream is strong in the world, but it can't be strengthened without being twisted and feathered; The gold in Tangxi is also beneficial to the world, but it can't be strong without melting the model and sharpening it. Therefore, it is a saint who is full of talents and virtues, a fool who is both talented and virtuous, a gentleman who is virtuous, and a villain who is victorious.

Translation:

Minister Sima Guang said: The downfall of Zhiyao lies in its superiority over virtue. Talent and virtue are two different things, and secular people often can't tell them apart, so they call them wise in general, so they misjudge people. The so-called talent refers to being smart, discerning, strong and resolute; The so-called virtue refers to being honest, fair and peaceful. Talent is the assistance of virtue; Virtue is the commander-in-chief of talent.

Bamboo in Yunmeng place is called strong all over the world, but it can't be used as a sharp arrow to penetrate hard objects unless its curvature is corrected and feathers are added. The copper produced in Tangshan is called Jingli all over the world. However, if it is not cast by melting, it cannot be used as a weapon to penetrate hard armor. Both ability and political integrity are called saints; No virtue and no talent are called fools; Only after Desheng is called a gentleman; Is better than what Germany calls a villain.

Extended information:

Creative background

Sima Guang once suffered from a large number of historical records in past dynasties, which made it difficult for scholars to browse all over, so he wrote biographical history in order to extract its essentials. At the beginning, Tongzhi was published in 8 volumes, from the Warring States Period to Qin Ershi, and it appeared in the DPRK, which attracted the attention of Song Yingzong. In the third year of Zhiping (166), he ordered the publishing house to be located in Chongwen Academy and continued to compile. Song Shenzong acceded to the throne, gave the title "History as a Mirror", and awarded it in order. It was written in 184, the seventh year of Yuanfeng.

The Tong Jian was composed by Sima Guang, and was co-edited by Liu Shu, Liu Ban and Fan Zuyu. Liu Shu learned extensively and memorized everything, from the following histories in the Historical Records to miscellaneous sayings in private records, and made the most efforts to compile the discussion of Tong Jian. Liu Ban in the history of Han Dynasty and Fan Zuyu in Tang Shi, both of them have deep research. Finally, it was revised and polished by Sima Guang and finalized. Among them, right and wrong are taken away and one is out of light.

As Sima Guang carefully finalized and unified rhetoric, Tong Jian has beautiful words, vivid narrative and high literary value, and has always been listed as the masterpiece of ancient historians in China alongside Historical Records. It reflects the author's political and historical views in a concentrated way. It is an important progress of historical thought to adopt a critical attitude towards religious superstitions such as divination, Buddhism and Taoism in history.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Zi Zhi Tong Jian