You have to be observant.

Nhan Hoi clasped his hands and said, "Master, this pot of rice is not clean." Then Nhan Hoi explained, "When I opened the lid to put the rice in, a gust of wind blew in, and soot and dust from the house fell into the pot, soiling it. I quickly covered it again, but it was too late. I scooped out the dirty rice, intending to throw it away. But then I thought: there's not much rice, if I throw it away, my brothers will have to eat less. Therefore, I took the liberty of eating the dirty rice first, leaving the clean rice to offer to you and my brothers. Master, the rice that has already been eaten should not be offered as a sacrifice!"

After hearing Yan Hui's words, Confucius was startled and exclaimed, "In this world, there are things that one sees clearly with one's own eyes, yet still fails to understand the true nature of them!"

Life is complex, so accurately assessing people and situations is often difficult. Some observations and evaluations are correct, but sometimes the true nature of events and phenomena is not as we perceive them.

In reality, many good people are misunderstood and unjustly treated due to one-sided, biased, or deliberately distorted perceptions from others. Some use flattering words to mask their less-than-ideal nature. They may outwardly defend and protect subordinates in front of superiors, wearing the mask of "compassion for the people," but harshly insult and berate them. Others may flatter and appease subordinates, actually using demagoguery to gain prestige.

Many people appear very obedient in front of their superiors, but behind their backs, they badmouth them in every way. Some appear frank, offering flattering criticism, giving the impression of being upright, but with enough interaction, one gradually sees their opportunistic nature, their tendency to flatter superiors and bully subordinates. In some matters, they speak vaguely and irresponsibly, leading to misunderstandings and inaccurate judgments. When things don't go as planned, they exaggerate negative aspects, elevate their own opinions, and fail to objectively acknowledge the positive aspects of others.

Therefore, one must be discerning to distinguish between good people and those who are two-faced, opportunistic, and hypocritical.

Therefore, the story of Confucius and Yan Hui from the Spring and Autumn period remains valuable to this day and into the future. To truly understand the nature of an event or a specific person, it is necessary to comprehensively evaluate the entire process, with an objective, thorough, rational, and empathetic perspective.

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