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Integrity Wide Angle
2023/07/05
Gentle Breeze | No Deception in the Shadows
When a person is alone, free from external constraints and others' supervision, moral cultivation "resides in the heart," and this is when one's true character is most evident. Hong Yingming of the Ming Dynasty wrote in "Cai Gen Tan," "Not leaking in small matters, not deceiving in hidden places, not neglecting at the end of the road, that is the true hero." This means being careful and attentive in minor details, not doing shameful things when no one is watching, and even in desperate situations, being able to lift one's spirit and strive forward—this is the mark of a true hero.
A gentleman is cautious when alone and does not deceive in the dark. During the Spring and Autumn period, the famous virtuous official Qu Boyu was highly respected for his moral character. Once, Duke Ling of Wei and his wife were sitting in the palace at night when they first heard the sound of a carriage approaching and then fading away, only to hear it again shortly after. The duke asked his wife if she knew who had just passed by. She replied that it was probably Qu Boyu. When asked how she knew, she said that a gentleman pays great attention to details; when the carriage reached the palace gate, the sound stopped because the owner strictly adhered to court etiquette, having the driver walk slowly holding the carriage shafts. Qu Boyu was benevolent and wise; he would not forget etiquette just because it was dark and no one could see him. So she believed it was him. The duke sent someone to check, and it was indeed Qu Boyu. It is relatively easy to behave properly when others can see you; but to maintain one's true nature and integrity when no one is watching is truly admirable.
"Not deceiving in hidden places" is a kind of cultivation rooted in the heart, a profound self-awareness that requires no reminders, a noble state of constantly restraining oneself with morality and discipline. Throughout history, many sages have regarded this as an expression of cautious solitude. Figures like Yang Zhen, the "Governor of Four Knows," and Li Tai, who valued integrity over gold, refused money temptations in the dead of night when no one knew. Ye Cunren, a Qing Dynasty official who served for over 30 years, was content with simplicity and never accepted bribes. When leaving office, his subordinates secretly delivered gifts at night to avoid attention. Ye Cunren returned the gifts unopened and wrote a poem: "Under the clear moon and gentle breeze at midnight, a small boat slowly sends me off. Grateful for your deep affection, I return your gift; I fear not others knowing, but fear myself knowing." These people had internalized "not fearing others knowing but fearing oneself knowing" as a conscious principle, thus acting cautiously and honestly even when unseen, remaining clear-headed and truthful even when unheard, consistent in public and private.
As a state of high self-discipline, "not deceiving in hidden places" is not only an important manifestation of personal cultivation but also an effective test of party members' principles. Liu Shaoqi wrote in "On the Cultivation of Communist Party Members" that a true Communist, even when "working independently without supervision and having the opportunity to do all kinds of bad things," can "be cautious when alone" and refrain from wrongdoing. Party members and cadres should seriously benchmark themselves, frequently self-reflect, strengthen self-restraint, and consciously abide by the Party Constitution, regulations, discipline, and all laws and regulations at all times and places. They should maintain consistent behavior in public and private, on and off stage, and within and outside working hours, with constant self-respect, self-examination, self-alertness, and self-encouragement.
Cultivation is hidden within the person, unseen by others; words and actions are visible to the world and can be heard and seen. Words and actions reflect cultivation; by listening to what one says and observing what one does, one can understand their cultivation. To avoid mistakes in visible words and deeds, one must work harder on the unseen cultivation, always being sincere, rectifying the heart, and examining oneself to "not deceive oneself." One must persist in not doing unkind things, not taking unjust wealth, not engaging in improper conduct, and not committing illegal acts. As party members and cadres, one should hold oneself to higher standards, temper cultivation, correct the heart and clarify the path, cherish virtue and self-respect, continuously strengthen political resolve, disciplinary resolve, moral resolve, and anti-corruption resolve, and always adhere to principles and rules without losing the baseline of self-discipline.
