“以貌取人”（“Yǐ Mào Qǔ Rén”）:Judging by Appearance
Definition: “Yǐ Mào Qǔ Rén” refers to the practice of making judgments about a person’s character and ability or adopting specific ways of treating someone by his or her appearance.
Historical figures: Tantai Mieming, Confucius
Origin: According to “Biographies of Confucius’s Disciples” of Records of the Historian, Tantai Mieming, a native of Wucheng, was also known by his courtesy name Ziyu. He was 39 years younger than Confucius, and was exceedingly ugly. Tantai was eager to become a disciple of Confucius, but Confucius at first mistakenly thought that he lacked talent due to his appearance.
However, since he was accepted as a disciple, Tantai retreated to himself and cultivated his character. He never took shortcuts in his actions and would not meet with high ministers or nobles except for official business. He traveled southward to the Yangtze River, with three hundred disciples following him. Tantai established clear principles for giving and taking, advancing and withdrawing. Thus, his reputation spread among the feudal lords. When Confucius heard of this, he sighed and said, “I judged people by their words, and with Zai Yu, I was mistaken. I judged people by their looks, and with Ziyu, I was again mistaken.”
Impact of Appearance on First Impressions
When compared with qualities such as extensive learning, talent, temperament, and virtue, one’s appearance is usually the first thing in getting to know him or her. The love of beauty is common to all. There have been numerous examples of judging people by appearance since ancient times. For instance, during the Spring and Autumn period, the renowned beauty Xishi would press a hand on her heart and frown when feeling a pain in the chest. It was known to all that the troubled expression made her look even more charming. However, the plain-looking Dongshi, who imitated Xishi’s frown, turned out to be a laughingstock. Similarly, in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, admiration for beautiful looks and elegant demeanor became a prevailing custom. The handsome and graceful man Pan An would always return with his vehicle filled with fruits thrown by admirers whenever he went out on carriage rides. His name later became the epitome of a peerlessly handsome man. In contrast, Zuo Si, who was unattractive and quite reserved, would be spat upon by women when he went out, so he often returned home rather dejected. This situation did not change until he wrote “Ode to Three Capitals.” The essay was so popular that it caused a sensation in Luoyang and even made writing paper expensive in the city. He left a valuable literary legacy to the later generations. Throughout the imperial examination era, appearance could even influence one’s academic success and officialdom. For example, good looks became an unwritten criterion when a “Tanhua” (the candidate who ranked the third-place in the palace examination) was selected. Today, there are still many who believe that “good looks count.” However, over 2,500 years ago, the supreme sage Confucius, through deep introspection, taught us that judging people by their appearance could be unfair and incorrect.
The Origin of the Idiom
Tantai Mieming, whose family name was Tantai and given name was Mieming, also known by his courtesy name Ziyu. Tantai was a native of Wucheng in the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period (the present-day Pingyi County, Shandong Province). He was thirty-nine years younger than Confucius and had a very unattractive appearance. When he sought to become a disciple of Confucius, Confucius considered him as a man of limited talent. However, after studying under the Master, Tantai Mieming dedicated himself to the practice of self-cultivation.
Yan Yan, whose courtesy name was Ziyou, was a favorite disciple of Confucius. Born in the State of Wu, he was the only southerner among the “Seventy-Two Disciples of Confucius.” The diligent Yan Yan was eager to learn and excelled in literary studies. He helped spread Confucian doctrines in the southeastern regions. The man was honored as the “Southern Confucius” by later generations. Yan Yan was a native of Changshu. Today, his tomb can still be found at the eastern foot of the Yushan Mountain in Changshu. He once served as the administrator of Wucheng—the hometown of Tantai Mieming, another disciple of Confucius. Tantai once worked under Yan Yan. He was upright and did everything by the book. The man conducted himself with integrity and avoid underhanded methods. He never paid visits to nobles or higher-ranking officials unless it was official business.
Yan Yan thought highly of Tantai’s character and even praised him to Confucius in person. The Analects of Confucius records this as follows: “When Ziyou served as the administrator of Wucheng, Confucius asked him, ‘Have you found any worthy individual there?’ Ziyou replied, ‘There is a man named Tantai Mieming who never takes shortcuts and never comes to my house except on official business.’” Later, Tantai Mieming crossed the Yangtze River and traveled south to the regions of Wu and Chu, where he educated the people by spreading Confucian teachings. It could be speculated that aside from following the example of his teacher Confucius, Tantai Mieming’s decision to preach in the southern lands of Wu and Chu might have resulted from his acquaintance with Yan Yan, who was a native of Wu. Tantai Mieming, as a man of principle, attached great importance to moderate giving and taking as well as sensible choices concerning when to leave a post and when to accept one. He attracted three hundred disciples to study under him and built up his fame among the feudal lords. When Confucius learned of this, he reflected on himself and remarked, “Judging others by appearance caused me to misjudge Ziyu.” This is the origin of the Chinese idiom “judging a person by appearance.”
In the south of Suzhou lies Tantai Lake, which connects to Shihu Lake in the west and stretches eastward through the Baodai Bridge (“Baodai” means “a precious belt.”) into the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. As recorded in Wu Di Ji (The Records of Wu) by Lu Guangwei of the Tang Dynasty, “Tantai Lake is located ten li southeast of Wu County. The residence of Confucius’s disciple Tantai Mieming, styled Ziyu, sank and became a lake, beside which lies his tomb.” Tantai Mieming traveled south to the region of Wu. He built his residence and a school near the place where the present-day Tantai Lake is located. As time passed by and landscapes changed, the area where his house once stood gradually subsided into a lake, hence the name “Tantai Lake.”
The Baodai Bridge, which connects the Grand Canal and Tantai Lake, was first built during the Tang Dynasty. This multi-arch stone bridge is the longest existing bridge of its kind in China. It is listed as major historical and cultural site protected at the national level, and also a key heritage site along the Grand Canal which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. As a key component of the “Ten Scenic Spots along the Grand Canal” in Suzhou, the Baodai Bridge–Tantai Lake Grand Canal National Cultural Park is currently under construction. On the lakeshore, the Museum of Wu (Suzhou Wuzhong Museum) has become a new popular cultural destination in the city. The museum is constructed on the historic site where Tantai Mieming, one of the “Seventy-Two Disciples of Confucius,” once built his residence and gave his lectures. This choice not only shows local people’s hope to carry forward Tantai’s legacy of scholarship and mentorship, but also helps to preserve and promote Wu culture and the culture of the area south of the Yangtze river, but also serves as an expression of the people of Suzhou.
