Historical background: This is a famous adjutant couplet, which is now hung in Yexian County, Henan Province, and was written by Ouyang Lin, then the magistrate of a county. In ancient county government, the lobby was used to hear lawsuits, the second hall was used to receive superiors, and the third hall was equivalent to daily office. "He hung this couplet at the door of the office to remind himself to be a good official.
Interpretation of couplets:
"Eat people's food and wear people's clothes" shows that the power of officials comes from the people, and it is necessary to exercise power for the people.
"Don't say that ordinary people can be bullied, and they are also ordinary people", which tells the true meaning of being an official. Officials can only make more contributions and take less when serving the people. They should regard themselves as members of the people and not feel superior to them.
"Being an official is not honorable, losing an official is not humiliating", which makes every party member cadre clearly see that the position is limited, the career is infinite, being an official is temporary, and being a man and doing things is long-term. Being a big official can do great things, and not being a big official can also do great things. The key is to look at a person's attitude towards work. If you only want to be a big official and don't want to do great things, if you only want to be an official for your own self-interest, you can't achieve great things in the end, and you may be a bad person. Only by truly establishing this attitude can we not be burdened by fame and fortune, lured by interests and disturbed by going back and forth.
About the author: Gao Yongyong, a famous upright official, was born in neixiang county, Henan Province during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty.
Extended data:
Couplets profoundly reveal the dialectical relationship between "official" and "people". The first part is that since ordinary people are their parents, they can't forget their roots, they are also ordinary people, and they must never be above the people and oppress them; The bottom line is to work hard, forge ahead, work diligently for the people, benefit one party, regardless of the gain or loss of honor or disgrace. The meaning of the upper and lower couplets is different, but the essence is to warn officials to be kind to the people and benefit them.