During the Jin Dynasty, there was a dashing cavalry general named Wang Ji, known for his handsome looks and refined manners. Though a military man, he was well-read and respected in the city for his scholarly debates. One day, a young man came to visit, and Wang Ji, noticing his exceptional talent, remarked, 'You have an eye for spotting talent, just like the legendary Bole.' The young man replied, 'But sir, you are the true Bole here, for you recognized my worth.' Wang Ji laughed and said, 'Indeed, covering a thousand li in a day is nothing without a master to guide the horse.' This story highlights the importance of recognizing and nurturing talent, a timeless lesson in leadership.
Along with Wang Ji, two other men—Wang Cheng and Wang Xuan—shared the spotlight, their handsome looks and solid learning making them the talk of the town.
One year, Wang Ji's nephew Wei Jie and his mother came to seek refuge with him. Seeing Wei Jie's strikingly handsome features and elegant demeanor, Wang Ji was utterly amazed. He said to Wei Jie's mother, "Everyone says I am exceptionally handsome, but compared to my nephew, it's like placing a stone next to a shining pearl and jade—I look truly ugly."
A few days later, Wang Ji took Wei Jie on horseback to visit relatives and friends. As they rode through the streets, everyone who saw Wei Jie thought he was carved from white jade, and the crowd scrambled to catch a glimpse, jostling and shoving, nearly stirring up the entire city.
When they finally arrived at the relatives' home, everyone marveled at Wei Jie's appearance and asked what he studied. Wei Jie replied that he was delving into metaphysics. The relatives pressed him to share his insights, but his mother quickly interjected, "Metaphysics is too profound to explain in a short time. My son is frail—perhaps another time!"
But his relatives and friends, curious whether his handsome appearance matched his scholarly depth, insisted he give a lecture. Unable to decline, Wei Jie began speaking. Though brief, every listener praised his profound and lucid explanations. Wang Ji, Wang Xuan, and Wang Cheng were so astonished they fell speechless. The crowd teased, "It seems the three Wangs are no match for one son of the Wei family!"
Wang Ji said, "Indeed, walking with my nephew is like having a bright pearl by my side, shining brilliantly."
When Wei Jie later arrived in the capital Jianye (modern-day Nanjing), the locals had long heard of his extraordinary beauty, so wherever he went, crowds would gather just to gaze at him. Wei Jie died at the age of twenty-seven, and people said he was literally stared to death.
Later, the idiom "feeling ashamed of one's own appearance" came to describe a sense of shame from being inferior to others in some aspect.
Source: *A New Account of the Tales of the World*, "Appearance and Behavior"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "自惭形秽" came to describe a sense of shame from being inferior to others in some aspect.