# Gong Ye Chang: people and evaluation: summary

Evaluates people through conversations and conduct, without treating speech, ability and action as equivalent.

https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/analects/chapter-05-gong-ye-chang-people-and-evaluation

## Source and summary

[The Analects · Gong Ye Chang: people and evaluation](https://zh.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=%E8%AB%96%E8%AA%9E/%E5%85%A8%E8%A6%BD&oldid=1082965#%E5%85%AC%E5%86%B6%E9%95%B7%E7%AC%AC%E4%BA%94)

> 子謂公冶長，「可妻也；雖在縲絏一作「紲」之中，非其罪也。」以其子妻之。

Evaluates people through conversations and conduct, without treating speech, ability and action as equivalent.

## Editorial interpretation

The example below adapts this chapter’s questions to modern work. Evaluate it against the actual purpose and conditions; ancient politics, warfare or ethics do not establish business results.

## Business application

For hiring or assignment, examine work samples, past behavior and the person’s preferences separately rather than relying on impressions.

1. Choose one relevant case and record its objective, available resources, verified facts and unknowns.
2. Compare options using this chapter’s perspective; choose a limited trial, owner, deadline and a measure to assess the result.

Deliverable: A comparison using gong ye chang: people and evaluation, with conditions for acting or declining.

## Limits

The summary selects main points rather than translating every sentence. The example is not a demonstrated business method; check it against stakeholders’ conditions and actual evidence.

## Validation question

How does this chapter’s perspective change the selected option or priority, and what further evidence could change the decision?

[The Analects: a guide to learning and reflection](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/analects)

[This material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/analects/chapter-05-gong-ye-chang-people-and-evaluation.en.md)

Updated: 2026-10-13 · v1.0.0