1. Those who want to be upright should look at their appearance, and those who want to be honest should look at themselves first. (Han? Huan Kuan)

Explanation: If you want your shadow to be correct, you must keep your personal appearance correct. If you want your subordinates to be honest, you must first be honest yourself.

2. But if you set a straight mark, there will be no curved shadow. ("Old Book of Tang")

Explanation: As long as the pole is straight, it will not cast a curved shadow.

3. The ministers are lawful and the small ministers are honest. (Ming Dynasty? Huang Wan)

Explanation: If ministers can abide by the law, then ministers will be honest.

4. But if the officials are not arrogant, it is the afternoon song in the village. (Song Dynasty? Lu You)

Explanation: As long as the officials are honest and the officials are not tyrannical, the people will support them and peace will prevail.

5. A wise man does not do things that are not his own, and an honest man does not do things that are not his own. (Han? Han Ying)

Explanation: When a smart person does not do something, it does not mean that he has nothing to do, but because he knows that it cannot be done; when an honest person does not embezzle, it does not mean that he has property, but because he knows that it cannot be done. Know not to embezzle.

6. If you are frugal, you will prosper, but if you are a promiscuous person, you will perish. (Mozi)

Explanation: Frugality and frugality will lead to prosperity, while lust and debauchery will lead to destruction.

7. Stealing other people's wealth and using it as theft is more like coveting the world's merit for one's own benefit. (Confucius)

Explanation: Stealing other people’s property is considered a thief, let alone taking other people’s great achievements as one’s own.

8. If you have evil intentions, burning incense will do no good; if you keep your body upright, there is no harm in not worshiping me when you see me. (Ancient Couplet)

Explanation: If you have evil thoughts and treacherous thoughts in your heart, even burning incense will not do you any good. If you are upright and upright, it doesn't matter if you don't worship me when you see me. (The "I" in this couplet refers to the divine elephant)

9. Avoid corruption in politics. If you are greedy for profit, you are also greedy for fame. Do not forget about your reputation and your political roots. To maintain integrity, you must be thrifty. Being frugal is frugal, and frugal people are not frugal. They should also be lenient to cultivate integrity. (Ancient couplet)

Explanation: When serving as an official or in politics, one must avoid corruption. Coveting for profit is certainly greed, coveting fame and seeking reputation are also greed. Don't be so devoted to vanity and fame that you forget the fundamentals of politics; the only way to maintain integrity is to be frugal. Practicing frugality and being strict with yourself is considered frugal; asking only others and the people to be diligent and frugal is not frugal. You must be strict with yourself and lenient with others to maintain an upright and upright character.

10. Bribery is not what one wants. Just do it to your advantage, without any worries. Therefore, the fight against bribery starts from the top. What the superiors do is to guide the subordinates; what the superiors do is not good to check the subordinates. (Lu Zhi of the Tang Dynasty)

Explanation: People do not pay bribes willingly. Just because it is personally beneficial to pay bribes, and there are concerns about not paying bribes. Therefore, if we want to curb the practice of bribery, we should start from the top, because the actions of the top can guide the people below. If the people above do not accept bribes, they can stop the people below from paying bribes.

11. The ministers are like a city, and the ministers’ hearts are like water. ("Book of Han")

Explanation: The front door of an official is as lively as a market, and the heart of an official should be as clear as water.

12. The melon field does not accept shoes, and the plum tree does not wear its crown. ("Yuefu Poems")

Explanation: When walking in the melon field, I don't pick up my shoes with my hands if I drop them, and I don't use my hands to straighten my hat when it's crooked under the plum tree.

13. Don’t let anyone praise you for the good color, just leave the pure energy to fill the universe. (Yuan? Wang Mian)

Explanation: There is no need for people to praise you for your beautiful color. Only your integrity and integrity remain in the world.

14. If desire is not eliminated, it is like a moth fluttering at a lamp, burning the body until it stops; if greed is gone, it is like an orang who is addicted to alcohol, and will only stop bleeding after being whipped. (("The Complete Book of Admonitions")

Explanation: If selfish desire is not eliminated, it is like a moth flying into a lamp and will only stop when it is burned; if corruption is not ended, it is like an orangutan who drinks alcohol and urinates blood until he dies. Forget it.

15. You have a six-foot body, so don’t be driven by fame. (Liu Zongyuan, Tang Dynasty)

Explanation: Cherish your six-foot body and don’t be driven by false fame. .

16. The small rope bed is barely stretched, and the mosquito net is half-dusted. The official status has become very high, but the taste is still the same as that of outsiders. The old garden has good pine trees and famous gardens everywhere. The rest of the family can only lie down with a book, so there is no need to have a distinguished guest in the seat.

((Ming Yu Qian)

Explanation: The rope bed on which I sleep is so small that I can’t even stretch my legs, and the mosquito net that has been used for many years is half covered with dust. Although the government provides a lot of official salary, the position in the court is also small. I am very prominent, but I feel like these people who are not interested in fame and wealth. The vegetable fields and pine forests are full of good places, and the orchards and peaches and plums are everywhere. After work, I only read in the study, and there is no need to be enthusiastic about entertaining distinguished guests.

17. Handkerchiefs with mushrooms and incense sticks are a disaster for civilians. The breeze blows with your sleeves toward the sky, so as to avoid gossip. ((Ming Dynasty? Yu Qian))

Explanation: Handkerchiefs with mushrooms and incense sticks. These local specialties were originally for the people, but many local officials collected them and dedicated them to their superiors, which harmed the people. I went to see the emperor with only two sleeves of Qingfeng to prevent the people from talking.

18. If a person does not have a backbone of steel, he will not be able to stand firmly. (Ming Shi Naiyan)

Explanation: If a person does not have a backbone of steel, he will not be able to stand firmly.

19. If a leader is upright, he will act without orders; if he is not upright, he will not follow orders. People don’t obey seriously.

20. Justice brings wisdom, integrity brings power (Qing Dynasty? Zhu Shunshui)

Explanation: If you are fair, you will understand things, and if you are honest, you will be able to understand things. Generate prestige.