There was a hermit in the East Sea Commandery, whose exact origins remain unknown.
He was a friend of Wang Liang, the former Director of Retainers (司直) of the Han dynasty. During the Jianwu era, Wang Liang was recruited by the imperial court for his unblemished integrity and eventually rose to the rank of the Three Excellencies.
Later, Wang Liang resigned from office and returned home, hoping to renew his friendship with the hermit. However, the hermit refused to see him and rebuked him, saying, “Without possessing loyalty, trustworthiness, or extraordinary strategic counsel, you have usurped a high position. Knowing full well that you lack virtue, why did you seek such office? Furthermore, having taken the post, you hastily resigned. Why do you rush back and forth so busily, unbothered by the trouble of it all?” He then turned Wang Liang away and never accepted him as a friend again for the rest of his life. Contemporary critics held the hermit in the highest esteem for his uncompromising principles.
Note
The unnamed East Sea Hermit was once friends with official Wang Liang. After Wang resigned from high office, the hermit reproached him for craving political posts despite insufficient virtue, cut off contact forever, and won great admiration for his strict moral standards.
The Hermit of East Sea:
An anonymous figure representing the ultimate, uncompromising standard of the Daoist/recluse ideal. Because he has no name, he serves as a pure archetype of moral judgment, existing outside the historical record to pass verdict on those who engage with the political system.
Wang Liang:
A historically documented official of the early Eastern Han dynasty who was indeed famous for his frugality and integrity. However, the Hermit’s critique introduces a fascinating philosophical nuance: in the eyes of absolute recluses, even participating in the political system – even with good intentions and personal integrity – is inherently corrupting.
The Three Excellencies:
The highest-ranking officials in the Han imperial government. The Hermit’s disdain for this ultimate political achievement highlights the vast chasm between worldly success and spiritual purity.
Critique of Political Ambition:
This is a profound philosophical critique. The Hermit argues that true virtue and political power are mutually exclusive. If one lacks transcendent wisdom (“extraordinary strategic counsel”), taking high office is merely an act of usurpation.
The Futility of Coming and Going:
The Hermit mocks the cyclical nature of official life – resigning in protest or for health reasons, only to be summoned back again. To the Hermit, this dance of “entering and exiting” the court is a superficial performance that proves Wang Liang is still entangled in worldly vanity and lacks true detachment.
Severing Ties:
In ancient Chinese culture, friendship was a sacred bond. By permanently cutting ties with a high-ranking official, the Hermit demonstrates that moral and spiritual alignment supersedes all past personal affections and social status.
东海隐者，不知何许人也，汉故司直王良之友。建武中，良以清节徵用，历位至一年。复还，通友，不肯见，而让之曰：“不有忠信奇谋，而取大位，自知无德，曷为致此？而复遽去，何往来屑屑不惮烦也！”遂距良，终身不纳。论者高之。
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