"Not to Be Swayed by Wealth and Rank" comes from Mencius, "Teng Wen Gong II" (Under Teng Wen Gong), and the original text reads: "To be rich and noble without being dissolute, to be poor and lowly without being moved, to be mighty and powerful without being bent—this is what is called a great man." Here, "dissolute" means to confuse or disturb, and by extension, to cause one to lose clarity of mind. This idiom refers to the ability to uphold morality and principles in the face of the temptations of wealth and status, and not to become arrogant, extravagant, dissolute, lose one's reason, or change one's aspirations because of wealth and rank. It emphasizes independence of character and firmness of morality, and is one of the core elements of the Confucian ideal of the great man's personality. It is mostly used to praise someone for remaining clear-headed in favorable circumstances and for not being moved by material interests, and it is often used in formal or literary contexts. Its emotional tone is commendatory, carrying a sense of solemnity and admiration. In terms of cultural background, it reflects the importance traditional Chinese culture places on inner cultivation, and together with "not to be moved by poverty and lowliness" and "not to be bent by might and power," it forms the complete standard of the ideal personality.
📝 Example
1. Although he held a high position, he never let wealth and power corrupt him. He stayed committed to doing practical things for the people and earned their respect.
2. After achieving business success, she still refused to be corrupted by wealth and power. Instead of indulging in luxury and pleasure, she invested most of her profits in public welfare.