The words come from "Mencius": "If you are poor, you will be good for yourself. If you are rich, you will be good for the world." It means "When you don't have your ambitions, clean yourself up and cultivate your personal moral character. When you have your ambitions, let the world do the same."

The popular view in the history of thought is that "If you are prosperous, you can help the world, and if you are poor, you can be alone" is a manifestation of the "complementarity of Confucianism and Taoism" as the essence of Chinese culture: the first half of the sentence expresses the idealism and worldly spirit of Confucianism , and the second half of the sentence shows the Taoist open-minded attitude and transcendent realm.

Famous story:

Mencius said to Song Goujian: "Do you like to lobby the monarchs of various countries? I tell you the attitude of lobbying: others understand and you are peaceful and contented; others do not understand and you are peaceful "Song Goujian asked: "How can we be peaceful and contented?"

Mencius said: "Thus, a scholar can be peaceful and contented if he respects morality and loves benevolence and righteousness. When you are poor, you do not lose your benevolence and righteousness; when you are prosperous, you do not deviate from your morality. Appear in the world. When you are poor, you are good for yourself. When you are prominent, you are good for the world.