#16 Wang Fu on Friendship and SuccessIn an essay by Chinese philosopher and political thinker Wang Fu, he explains the folly of the civil service recruitment system during the Han Dynasty . Instead of looking at qualifications, someone was hired through their connections to those already in power. Ideally, in this type of company, the only people hired would be those who have demonstrated that they are morally fit for the job, as judged by those who already know them personally. But the entire system was flawed at its core, and people took advantage of it to claim an esteemed position of power. Wang Fu described how friendship has turned into superficial relationships for the rich and in power, while the poor have been sidelined. People would befriend others for selfish reasons, just to gain some kind of benefit. The topics covered in his essay are able to provide a brief insight into the Han Dynasty and its people at the time. One of the underlying concepts that this entire essay reveals about the Han Dynasty is that people seemed to be very quick to judge. A person's status and appearance were a quick way to determine whether or not they wanted to become friends with someone else. Fu provides many examples of the contrast between the treatment of people who appear rich and powerful versus those who do not, and explains why people should act this way and why it is harmful to society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Wang Fu may have had many reasons for writing this piece, but since he himself never obtained an official position, it would be reasonable to think that he wrote this in response to that fact. According to Margaret Pearson in her article, “The Nature of the Worthy in Wang Fu's Political Thought,” she states that Wang Fu “… argued that many (like himself), while far from perfect, were worthy of official responsibility” ( Pearson 282).Fu believed that many were born with the skills to hold official responsibilities, but never obtained them due to various circumstances. Since he never won a position for himself, even if he felt entitled and worthy of it one, his writing reflected this. This is a factor to consider when analyzing his essay, as it may have led him to learn one way or another. Wang Fu opens the essay with the quote “With people, i old friends are the best; with things, new ones are the best." He goes on to say that this is how friendship should be, with people getting closer and closer as time goes on. The longer you know someone, the more you two should be united in your friendship. Although at the time of the Sage of Fu, those in the Han Dynasty apparently let old friendships fade away, while seeking to make new friends with those who were wealthy or in power, breaking "the ancient sages' instruction to treasure old friends" . Fu came to the conclusion that it was a common tendency for people to try to charm superiors for their own benefit, while ignoring anyone beneath them. By befriending those with a higher status, they may slowly be brought to a higher level or wealth or status, while becoming acquainted with someone of a lower status will result in a net loss through their favors which they will be unable to repay in one way or another. This gives rise to the idea that, regarding politics and power, some people at the time felt that giving up humility and honesty for wealth or power was a worthy trade-off. Although this is not an idea.