Appoint a person to office or position based solely on merit or outstanding ability. In other words, the criteria for giving authority to a person do not involve any kind of personal relationship. Wei (唯) means “solely”, and xian (贤) means a combination of ability and moral rectitude, an ideal much sought after by the ancients. Those with these qualities are able to observe and uphold social norms and be leaders of social progress. To appoint such wise and capable people to positions of power is the basis and guarantee of good governance. Such qualities, much revered in ancient times, continue to be the basic standards for selecting, training, managing and appointing public officials today.