The best way to pick up virtue is to correct the greatest evil by extravagance

It means frugality, which is the most common virtue; luxury is the biggest bad habit.

From - "Zuo Zhuan" by Zuo Qiuming during the Warring States Period.

Original text: In the spring of the 24th year, it would be disrespectful to engrave this in regular script. Imperial Sun admonished: I have heard that frugality is the greatest virtue; extravagance is the greatest evil. The late emperor had great virtues, but he tolerated all the great evils. It is not unreasonable!

Translation: In the spring of the 24th year, he carved flowers on the rafters of Huan Gong Temple again. This incident was the same as last year's temple pillars. It is unethical to apply red paint on anything. Yusun dissuaded him and said: "I have heard that frugality is the greatest virtue among good deeds; luxury is the greatest evil among evil deeds. The ancestors had great virtues, but the king put them into great evils. I'm afraid it's not allowed. Right?"

Extended information:

Author background

Zuo Qiuming (about 502 BC - about 422 BC) was the capital of the Lu State in Junzhuang (now Shandong) in the late Spring and Autumn Period. He was born in Donghengyu Village, Shiheng Town, Feicheng City, Feicheng City, with a surname of Qiu and a given name of Ming. Because his father was the historian of Zuo, he was called Zuo Qiuming. The records of Zuo Qiu Ming are very limited. Scholars in the past dynasties have argued endlessly about the situation of Zuo Qiu Ming's surname.

One theory is that the surname is Zuoqiu and the given name is Ming; the other is that the surname is Zuo and the given name is Qiu Ming. According to historical records, Zuo Qiu Ming is a descendant of Jiang Ziya. The direct descendant of the Sunqiu (Qiu) family is more reliable, and the collateral line of the Zuo family needs to be discussed). A historian, writer, thinker, essayist, and military strategist in the late Spring and Autumn Period. At the same time as Confucius or slightly older than Confucius.

Zuo Qiuming was knowledgeable and moral, and Confucius said he was ashamed of himself. Said: "If you are clever with words, charming, and respectful, Zuo Qiu will be ashamed of you, and Qiu will be ashamed of you; if you hide your grudges and be friends with others, Zuo Qiu will be ashamed of you, and Qiu will be ashamed of you." Taishi Sima Qian called him "Lu Zhi" Gentleman".

Zuo Qiuming's family has been historians for generations, and has a large number of historical materials from Lu and other feudal countries. Therefore, it is the first compilation of detailed records and incisive discussions in ancient China based on "Spring and Autumn". Chronicle "Zuo Zhuan" (also known as "Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals").

He also wrote Guoyu, the earliest extant history of a country. He was blind when he wrote Guoyu. The two books record many important historical events in the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period, and have preserved a very high level of history. value source material.