《资治通鉴·汉纪·汉纪二十一》
京房回答说： 古代帝王按功劳选拔贤能，万事都有成就，祥瑞显现。衰亡之世，任用官员则以遭诋毁还是受称赞为依据，所以政治腐败，因而招致天灾变异。
房对曰： 古帝王以功举贤，则万化成，瑞应著；末世以毁誉取人，故功业废而致灾异。
Jing Fang replied: In the ancient times, the emperors selected the virtuous according to their merit, everything had achievements and auspicious signs appeared. In the declining times, officials were appointed based on whether they were criticized or praised, and thus the politics were corrupt, which further invited disasters and abnormalities.
<s>[INST] Identify the key themes in this Classical Chinese text and explain them in English: 房对曰： 古帝王以功举贤，则万化成，瑞应著；末世以毁誉取人，故功业废而致灾异。 [/INST] Jing Fang replied: In the ancient times, the emperors selected the virtuous according to their merit, everything had achievements and auspicious signs appeared. In the declining times, officials were appointed based on whether they were criticized or praised, and thus the politics were corrupt, which further invited disasters and abnormalities.</s>
Identify the key themes in this Classical Chinese text and explain them in English: 房对曰： 古帝王以功举贤，则万化成，瑞应著；末世以毁誉取人，故功业废而致灾异。
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Jing Fang replied: In the ancient times, the emperors selected the virtuous according to their merit, everything had achievements and auspicious signs appeared. In the declining times, officials were appointed based on whether they were criticized or praised, and thus the politics were corrupt, which further invited disasters and abnormalities.
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