魏晉人物品評著重對人物本然質性之探討，以美即是展現自然本質。士人對才質之重，由初期的崇才顯能，轉而重視「才隱」與「量深」。人物品鑑的重點，由求「質顯」的實而盈滿之「才」的外顯，轉而為追求「量」之「深」而「空」的質「藏」之求，並由此走入體之美學化經營。其時士人對美的最高評價，為自然氣性的如實呈顯，即一「清」而「升」之氣，蘊於體所呈現出的高妙氣韻。由「顯才」至「隱質」；由求才之「用」，至求才之「不用」；由才之「增」與「滿」溢，轉而求才之「損」而「空」。於天賦之才質中，對才華與才能的「損之又損」，方能真正品目出人物本然的質性之「本」，從而識鑑出人物的自然氣性之美

In Wei and Jin Dynasties, the appraisal of people focused on the intrinsic quality of human nature. They believed that beauty was to show the inner quality of human nature. Scholars turned from admiring and highlighting talents in the early stage to the concealment of talents and the pursuit of magnanimity. Rather than showing the intrinsic quality and demonstrating talents, the emphasis of people appraisal was turned to the pursuit of magnanimity, with the emphasis on the broadness and profoundness of it, thus to the cultivation of esthetics. The highest value of beauty, according to the intellectuals of that era, was the unreserved demonstration of one’s intrinsic temperament. The fathomless grace, shown by the possession of a pure and genuine human nature inside, was considered the ultimate beauty. In Wei and Jin Dynasties, the appraisal of people went from the exhibition of talents to the masking of one's genuine quality. The assertion of presenting one's talents was replaced by the concealment of them. The pursuit of advancing one's talents to the utmost was abandoned, while the new criterion was to hide one's talents in order to highlight and present the genuine value of talents. Only when one abated and devalued his born talents could the essence of his intrinsic nature be presented and appreciated, and the supreme beauty of his natural temperament identified