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Self-Discipline 145 The Reason That Heaven and Earth Gave Birth to Materials Is to Make Them Useful to Mankind. When Waste of Materials Is Completely Stopped, It Can Be Said That a Man Knows How to Use His Wealth. When Tao Kan ruled Jingzhou, he ordered the officials in charge of shipbuilding to save the sawdust so that it could be used to cover muddy streets after the snow thawed; he also told them to lay away all the bottom pieces of bamboos, which soon formed a pile like a mountain. Some years later they were used as nails to repair Duke Huan’s battleships when he launched an expedition to the kingdom of Shu. When Bei Heng was magistrate of Donga, he tried to save whatever he could for the sake of the people. He gathered and saved all the little items like metal pieces, useless leather, worn-out ropes, and old papers that came from buildings that were constructed or repaired. When his artisans had little to do, he ordered them to boil down old leather so that it could be made into glue, to melt metal to be made into pestles, and to grind paper and ropes to be made into straw garments and stored in a warehouse. That time, the emperor was on his inspection tour of Beijing, and the court officials pressed Magistrate Bei Heng to construct a podium quickly for the emperor. Then he took out what he had saved from the warehouse and used it for the emergency. As a result, he could save the people from extra expenditures. When Yun Hyŏn became minister of taxation, he ordered that all old and useless mats and clothes with blue lines [ch’ŏngyŏnp’o] be stored in a warehouse, and people laughed at him. Later he sent the worn-out mats to the paper mills so that they could be ground and made into paper. The quality of the paper thus made turned out to be very excellent. As for the old clothes, he sent them to the Ministry of Rites so that they could be made into belts to be worn by the Jurchens. CHAPTER : ENJOYMENT OF BESTOWING BENEFITS Extreme Frugality Can Alienate Kinsmen. Charity Carried Out with Willingness of Heart Is the Root of Virtue. The reason that water is held in a pond is to release it in the future so that it can wet the fields. He who saves, therefore, can be able to help, and he who does not cannot. When I made observations of the magistrates during my exile, those who sympathized with and helped me were always frugal, wearing plain clothes; those with greasy faces, wearing extravagant clothes and enjoying womanizing, neglected me. 295. Huan Wen (312–373), a general of the Jin dynasty. His courtesy name was Yuanzi. 296. An official of the Ming dynasty. 297. An official of the mid-Chosŏn period. His courtesy name was Chayong, and his pen name Kukgan. He also served as director of the Royal House Administration and was selected as a pure official. 146 book II The Magistrate Must Help His Poor Friends and Impoverished Relatives as Much as He Can. Although close kinsmen like brothers, uncles, and nephews cannot be brought to the magistrate’s post, the magistrate should provide assistance to them if they have no means of livelihood. He should help them on a monthly basis, taking the number of their family members into account. When Fang Yanqian was magistrate of Jingyang, he spent all of his stipend on helping his friends and relatives because he had a family business over many generations, and even when he fell short in his daily provisions, he was happy all the time. He once said to his son Xuanling, “People become rich by receiving stipends; however, I became poor because I have served in the government. The only thing worth bequeathing to one’s children is integrity.” When Luo Weide was magistrate of Ningguo, he looked happy one day when he met with Liu Yin. He said, “I feel good about something that happened to me today.” Asked about the reason, Luo answered, “These days I have had more than ten relatives who, being impoverished, came to ask for my help. I gave them all my money saved from my stipend; however, my family, including my father, never raised any objection to what I did, and I am very pleased about it.” Yun P’alsong [Hwang...

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