During the Spring and Autumn period, Jin's Grand Master Qi Xi, also known as Qi Huangyang, was a man of unwavering integrity and selflessness.
Duke Ping of Jin once asked his minister Qi Huangyang, "Nanyang County needs a new magistrate. Who do you think is fit for the post?" Qi Huangyang replied, "Xie Hu would be the best choice." Startled, the Duke exclaimed, "But isn't Xie Hu your personal enemy?" Qi Huangyang answered calmly, "You asked me who was competent for the job, not who my enemy was." So the Duke appointed Xie Hu, who proved so capable and did so much for the people that he won widespread acclaim.
Later, Duke Ping of Jin asked Qi Huangyang, "The court lacks a judge. Who do you think is fit for the role?" Qi Huangyang recommended his son Qi Wu, and the duke agreed. Qi Wu was capable and competent, earning the welcome of all court officials.
Confucius, upon hearing of this, praised him greatly, saying, "Qi Huangyang acted excellently. In recommending talent, he neither let personal grudges influence him externally nor avoided his own relatives internally, unafraid of gossip. A person like this, who 'recommends outsiders without avoiding enemies and insiders without avoiding relatives,' can truly be said to act with impartiality!"
Later, the idiom "Not Avoiding Enemies Outside, Not Avoiding Relatives Within" came to describe recognizing talent and appointing people based on merit.
Source: *Lüshi Chunqiu*, Chapter "Qu Si"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "外不避仇，内不避亲" came to describe recognizing talent and appointing people based on merit.