Analects 12.22 · Yan Yuan
“Raise the upright above the crooked, and you can make the crooked upright.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
舉直錯諸枉 能使枉者直 (jǔ zhí cuò zhū wǎng, néng shǐ wǎng zhě zhí) means “Raise the upright above the crooked, and you can make the crooked upright.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 22.
舉直錯諸枉 能使枉者直
- Pinyin
- jǔ zhí cuò zhū wǎng, néng shǐ wǎng zhě zhí
- Translation
- Raise the upright above the crooked, and you can make the crooked upright.
- Source
- Analects, Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 22
What does this passage mean?
This passage is part of a conversation in the Yan Yuan chapter in which Fan Chi asks about humaneness. 舉直 means promoting upright people, while 錯諸枉 means placing them above the crooked. Here 直 refers to honest and upright people, and 枉 to those who are bent—that is, morally improper. The passage teaches a principle of personnel management: when the right people are appointed to suitable positions, their influence can reform even those who are corrupt.
How can we apply it today?
As the saying goes, personnel decisions are everything: whom we place in which position determines an organization's fate. When honest and capable people occupy key roles, the spirit of the entire organization changes. When unqualified people occupy important posts, talented members leave. The standards for hiring and promotion reveal the organization's values. Recognizing good people and placing them where they fit is among a leader's most important responsibilities.
Questions to reflect on
- ·What standards do I use to judge people?
- ·Are upright people around me receiving proper recognition?
- ·Have I ever changed through the influence of a good person?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 舉 | jǔ | raise | 16 | 臼 (mortar) |
| 直 | zhí | upright | 8 | 目 (eye) |
| 錯 | cuò | place; mix | 16 | 金 (metal) |
| 諸 | zhū | every | 16 | 言 (speech) |
| 枉 | wǎng | bent | 8 | 木 (tree) |
| 能 | néng | capable | 10 | 肉 (meat) |
| 使 | shǐ | cause | 8 | 人 (person) |
| 枉 | wǎng | bent | 8 | 木 (tree) |
| 者 | zhě | one; person | 8 | 老 (old) |
| 直 | zhí | upright | 8 | 目 (eye) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “Raise the upright above the crooked, and…” mean?
舉直錯諸枉 能使枉者直 (jǔ zhí cuò zhū wǎng, néng shǐ wǎng zhě zhí) means “Raise the upright above the crooked, and you can make the crooked upright.” It comes from the Analects, Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 22.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 12.22: Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 22.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
As the saying goes, personnel decisions are everything: whom we place in which position determines an organization's fate.