Virtue in Thriftiness

(Minghui.org) Mainstream media is full of stories about the lifestyle of wealthy celebrities, such as what sports cars they drive, their gorgeous mansions, who has the most extravagant wedding, and so on.

Thriftiness—or economic prudence—is not generally promoted as something the rich and successful strive for, but rather something that has to be done when you can’t afford not to.

However, thriftiness was promoted in all dynasties in traditional Chinese culture. This wasn’t because there were fewer material comforts in ancient times forcing people to be more frugal, but because being thrifty was seen as a virtue, rather than an economic necessity.

According to Zuo Zhuan, “Thrift is a common virtue, while extravagance is a great evil.” (Zuo Zhuan, also known as The Commentary of Zuo, is an ancient Chinese narrative history on the Chinese chronicle Spring and Autumn Annals, covering the period 722 to 468 BC.)

Sima Guang, a great Confucian in the Northern Song Dynasty, said that all virtuous people practice thrift because such people had fewer desires. A person with few desires will not be driven by external things, so he can act with integrity and morality. Such people tend to be thrifty in their daily life to ensure the well-being of their family and pay attention to their conduct to avoid sinning. Therefore, being thrifty is a good basis for a moral life.

Extravagance, on the other hand, leads to more desires, and a man with more desires tends to hanker after wealth and rank, which will destroy his morals and bring disasters. Extravagant people tend to be greedy and wasteful; they are willing to accept bribes, and would most likely pursue other people’s things in daily life. This is why extravagance is considered a great sin.

An Extravagant Household Is Bound to Go into Decline

According to Guo Yu (a classical history book on eight states in the Spring and Autumn period), in the eighth year of King Ding of Zhou, the King sent Duke Kang of Liu as an envoy to the Lu State. The Duke handed out gifts to the high-ranking officials. He noticed that two officials, Ji Wenzi and Meng Xianzi, were humble and thrifty, while two others, Shusun Xuanzi, and Dong Menzi, were rather extravagant.

When he returned home, the King asked him which officials in Lu State were virtuous.

“Ji Wenzi and Meng Xianzi can maintain their status in the Lu State for a long time, while Shusun Xuanzi and Dong Menzi might perish,” the Duke replied.

“Why do you say that?” asked the King.

The Duke explained, “Ji Wenzi and Meng Xianzi are thrifty, which will protect their families from disasters, whereas both Shusun Xuanzi and Dong Menzi are extravagant, and have little sympathy towards the poor. If the poor don’t get sympathy and support, there will be more crime and sorrow, and calamities will follow. Their families would also be impacted. The state won’t be able to cope with the extravagance of indulgent officials and will end in ruin.”

Duke Kang predicted that Dong Menzi’s office would end after two dynasties and Shusun Xuanzi’s office would end after three dynasties in the Lu State.

In due course, Dong Menzi lost his backing when his superior, the Duke Xuan of Lu, died eight years later. His political enemies expelled his family, and they had to flee to the Qi State.

After the death of Duke Xuan, Duke Cheng succeeded the position in the Lu State. Two years before Duke Cheng’s death, Shusun Xuanzi fled to the Qi State. Court officials of the Lu State formed an alliance to exile him due to the many bad things he had done.

The Benefits of Thrifty Governance

Governing the country with thrift—or economic prudence as it is called nowadays— leads to many benefits.

According to Shi Ji (Historical Records), during the time of Emperor Ping of the Han Dynasty, the Empress Dowager issued an edict that said: “The way to govern a country is to make the people prosperous first, and the key to achieving this is by practicing thrift. When the country is prosperous, nothing is more important for a virtuous king than being thrifty. If the people are educated with the virtue of thrift, then a fine social hierarchy will be established, kindness between relatives will be enhanced, and the root cause of disputes and lawsuits will disappear. This is the foundation of people’s prosperity and the way to govern the country without punishment. How can we not endeavor to put it into practice!”

The edict continued: “Among the ministers, Gongsun Hong, Marquis of Pingjin, is the best in practicing thrift. He takes money lightly and values benevolence and righteousness. He is the chancellor, and yet he uses a cotton quilt at night (instead of silk) and has only one meat dish and unpolished rice for each meal. He uses all his salary to entertain virtuous people and guests, leaving no extra money for himself. This is a manifestation of inner self-restraint and following the law in one’s conduct.”

In other words, by practicing thrift in governance, both the general public and officials will be self-restrained, careful with their daily expenses and well-provided for when in need of money. They will not embezzle public funds or accept bribes and will be generous in helping others. As a result, people will care for each other and live in harmony with fewer disputes, and society will be stable and peaceful.

Conclusion

Thriftiness does not necessarily relate to poverty or giving little away. Thrifty people don’t necessarily lack money or act in a stingy manner. On the contrary, they understand that being thrifty is a virtue.

Many people who are thrifty in their daily life know how to enjoy themselves—they appreciate nature, and good food, and are willing to share what they have and help others. This is because virtuous behavior contains elements of divinity, being considerate of others, and selflessness.

Thrifty people are not obsessed with indulgence and pleasures, and they can be strong without desires, so they can conduct themselves righteously in daily life and in cultivating morality.

Extravagant people tend to be obsessed with material pursuits, are greedy, and even use improper means to seek money, thus bringing disasters to themselves in the end.

In today’s China, the Chinese Communist Party deliberately destroyed the traditional morality of the Chinese people and encouraged them to seek luxury, be extravagant, corrupt, and promiscuous. As a result, many people spend their lives pursuing fame and fortune, courting danger as a result of their unrestrained pursuit of material comfort and greed.

History shows that virtue is not only necessary for personal improvement but is also the cornerstone of a stable country and society.