From "Zuo Zhuan Xiang Gong Twenty-two Years": "The king's life is nothing, and his promise is not established."

The meaning of this sentence is: the monarch's orders are out and out, and it is difficult to stand on your own feet without faith. That is to say, if people don't talk about credit, they can't stand in society and can't get recognition from others.

The origin of "breaking promises and failing to stand up"

During the Spring and Autumn Period, Zhou declined. The relationship between Qi Jin and his allies has always been bad, and Qi Jin has fought many times. After Qi Zhuanggong acceded to the throne, he made peace with the State of Jin, made several alliances, and signed a covenant in the twenty-first year of Duke Xiang of Lu. In the second year, Luan Ying, a doctor of the State of Jin, turned against him. After his failure, he fled to Qi. Qi Zhuanggong took him in. Yan Ying remonstrated: "When a small country gets along with a big country, it must keep its word. We promised to obey Kim, but our promise will not come true. "

Qi Zhuanggong didn't listen to the admonition, and then took advantage of the chaos in the state of Jin to rush out, making him at home and abroad, and was finally killed by a recent minister.