It is common to find competent officials, but the most difficult thing is to be honest. [Jin] Yuan Haowen's "Yuan Yishan Collection"

Note: Capable officials can often be seen, but it is very difficult to be fair and honest.

An honest person is a model of the people; a greedy person is a thief of the people. [Song Dynasty] Bao Zheng's "The Officials Begging for Don't Use Their Stolen Things"

Annotation: Integrity officials are role models for the people; corrupt officials are thieves of the people.

If civil servants do not love money, military ministers will not hesitate to die, and the world will be peaceful. [Song Dynasty] Yue Fei

Annotation: Civil servants are upright and honest, and military generals fight to the death to serve the country, so that the country can be peaceful.

The road in this world is as dangerous as greed, and a few people have misled their lives here. [Song Dynasty] Zhu Xi

Note: There is no more dangerous path in the world than greed, and many people have missed their lives because of it.

Although you cannot let go of your desires, you can restrain your pursuits. [Warring States] "Xunzi·Correcting Names"

Note: Although human desires cannot be eliminated, the pursuit of desires can be controlled.

Looking at the virtuous countries and families in the past, their success was due to diligence and frugality, and their success was due to extravagance. [Tang Dynasty] Li Shangyin's "Ode to History"

Note: Looking at the experiences and lessons of sages and sages in the past dynasties in governing the country and family, success is due to diligence and frugality, and failure is due to luxury.

Care and hard work can rejuvenate a country, while leisure can lead to death. [Song Dynasty] Ouyang Xiu's "Preface to the Biography of Officials in the History of the Five Dynasties"

Annotation: Worry and hard work can make the country prosperous; blindly coveting comfort and enjoyment can ruin oneself.

Things must first rot, and then insects will grow there; people must first doubt them, and then slander them. [Song Dynasty] Su Shi's "Fan Zeng Lun"

Annotation: Things must rot by themselves first before moths can emerge. People must first become suspicious before they can listen to slander.

Wealth can make people greedy, sex can make people addicted, fame can make people jealous, and power can make people dependent. Now that the four troubles have gone away, are they still in the dust? [Song Dynasty] Shao Yong's "Man's Song"

Annotation: Money makes people greedy, beauty makes people addicted, fame makes people proud, and power makes people tyrannical. If a man could avoid the four evils of wealth, sex, fame, and power, would he still be an ordinary person in the world?

Selected aphorisms about clean government in ancient times (2)

It is better to cultivate one’s mind than to have few desires. [Warring States Period] Mencius

Note: The best way to cultivate one's moral character is to reduce all kinds of desires.

When you are poor, you should never forget your skills; when you are rich, you should never forget your ways. [Tang Dynasty] Pi Rixiu's "Preface to Six Proverbs"

Annotation: Although a person cannot achieve his goals, he cannot forget his conduct; when his status is high, he cannot forget the right path.

There are good people at the top, but there must be bad people at the bottom. [Warring States Period] "Mencius Teng Wen Gong"

Annotation: Whatever the people at the top like, the people at the bottom often imitate them, and they often do it even more.

When governing official affairs, one does not seek personal benefit, and when one is in public affairs, one does not seek profit. [Han] Liu Xiang's "Shuo Yuan Zhi Gong"

Annotation: When doing things for the public, you cannot consider personal matters, and you cannot talk about selfish interests.