Drawing Nourishment from Traditional Chinese Clean Governance Thought

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that studying China’s history of combating corruption and promoting integrity, understanding ancient Chinese clean governance culture, and examining the successes and failures of anti-corruption efforts in China’s history can provide profound insights and help us use historical wisdom to advance the construction of clean governance. To strengthen the construction of a culture of clean governance in the New Era, it is essential to place great emphasis on excavating and drawing lessons from the thought on clean governance within fine traditional Chinese culture. The thought on clean governance in fine traditional Chinese culture is broad, profound, and long-standing, encompassing important elements such as public-spirited integrity, diligent integrity, loyal integrity, filial integrity, and pure integrity. These five types of thought provide systematic nourishment for the construction of a culture of clean governance in the New Era from the dimensions of the exercise of power, the fulfillment of duties, political loyalty, family ethics, and inner cultivation. Although they have certain limitations of their era, their essence has traversed the long river of history and still shines with the brilliance of truth today.

习近平总书记指出，研究我国反腐倡廉历史，了解我国古代廉政文化，考察我国历史上反腐倡廉的成败得失，可以给人以深刻启迪，有利于我们运用历史智慧推进反腐倡廉建设。加强新时代廉洁文化建设，必须高度重视对中华优秀传统文化中廉政思想的挖掘与借鉴。中华优秀传统文化中的廉政思想博大精深、源远流长，涵盖公廉、勤廉、忠廉、孝廉、清廉等重要内容。这五种思想分别从权力运行、履职尽责、政治忠诚、家庭伦理、内心修养等维度，为新时代廉洁文化建设提供了系统的廉政思想养分，虽有一定时代局限性，但其精华穿越历史长河，至今仍闪耀着真理的光辉。

Public-Spirited Integrity Thought

公廉思想

The representative figure of public-spirited integrity thought is Cao Duan, an early Ming dynasty politician, Neo-Confucian scholar, and educator. Throughout his life, Cao Duan steadfastly practiced public-spirited integrity, and this principle ran through his self-cultivation, family management, teaching, and governance. Cao Duan put forward the important thesis: “Is it not public-spirited integrity? When one is public-spirited, the people will not dare to be disrespectful; when one is upright, officials will not dare to deceive.” This was later supplemented and refined by Shandong Governor Nian Fu, forming the thirty-six-character “Official Admonition”: “Officials do not fear my severity but fear my uprightness; the people do not submit to my ability but submit to my public-spiritedness. When one is public-spirited, the people will not dare to be disrespectful; when one is upright, officials will not dare to deceive. Public-spiritedness gives rise to clarity; uprightness gives rise to authority.”

公廉思想的代表人物为明初政治家、理学家、教育家曹端。曹端一生笃行公廉，其修身、齐家、从教、从政无不贯穿这一准则。曹端提出“其公廉乎！公则民不敢慢，廉则吏不敢欺”的重要论断，后经山东巡抚年富增补完善，形成“吏不畏吾严而畏吾廉，民不服吾能而服吾公。公则民不敢慢，廉则吏不敢欺。公生明，廉生威”的三十六字《官箴》。

Cao Duan’s thought on public-spirited integrity focuses on the attribute of fairness in the exercise of power, mainly reflected in works such as *The Collected Works of Cao Duan*. In this thought, “public-spiritedness” and “uprightness” are like two wings of one body; if one is missing, the exercise of power will inevitably lose its correctness. First, “public-spiritedness” is the foundation of “uprightness.” Cleanliness without the foundation of “public-spiritedness” is merely superficial integrity; such people are in fact mostly those who seek a reputation. Second, “uprightness” is the soul of “public-spiritedness.” Without the soul of “uprightness,” “public-spiritedness” is but an empty shell—a person who is not upright, their so-called “public-spiritedness” is either an expedient measure to win people’s hearts or a disguise to cover up private desires.

曹端的公廉思想侧重权力运行的公正属性，主要体现于《曹端集》等著作。在这一思想中，“公”与“廉”犹如一体两翼，缺一则权力运行必失其正。其一，“公”为“廉”之基。无“公”之根基的廉洁只是表面廉洁，此类廉洁者实际多为沽名钓誉之徒。其二，“廉”为“公”之魂。无“廉”之魂，“公”便徒具躯壳——不廉之人，其所谓“公”要么是邀买人心的权宜之计，要么是掩盖私欲的伪装之辞。

Currently, a small number of Party members and cadres, under the pretext of strictly following procedures, raise barriers to “demand bribes and make things difficult,” appearing upright but in fact being unfair. There are also a small number of Party members and cadres who are themselves improper and have a distorted outlook on political performance, severely damaging the public credibility of the Party and government. The thought on public-spirited integrity enlightens us: Party members and cadres must hold the bottom line of integrity, and even more so, act with a public-spirited heart, supporting integrity with public-spiritedness and safeguarding public-spiritedness with integrity.

当前，少数党员干部以严格按流程办事为幌子，抬高门槛“吃拿卡要”，看似廉洁实则不公；也有少数党员干部自身不正、政绩观扭曲，严重损害党和政府的公信力。公廉思想启示我们：党员干部要守住廉洁底线，更要秉持公心办事，以公心支撑廉洁，以廉洁保障公心。

Diligent Integrity Thought

勤廉思想

The representative figure of diligent integrity thought is Kuang Zhong, a famous incorruptible official of the Ming dynasty. Kuang Zhong’s life can be considered a vivid portrayal of diligent integrity. During his tenure as Prefect of Suzhou, he severely punished corruption, rectified official discipline, reduced taxes and corvée labor, allowed the people to rest, built water conservancy projects, encouraged agriculture and sericulture, established “granaries for aiding farmers,” provided relief loans to the starving, redressed unjust verdicts, cracked down on bullies, built prefectural schools, and valued talent. Eventually, he fell ill from overwork and died in office, truly serving the country and the people with utter devotion. Kuang Zhong is as famous as Bao Zheng and Hai Rui, all revered by the people as “Blue Skies.” [1]1 “Blue Sky” (青天, qing tian) is a traditional Chinese folk honorific for an incorruptible and just official, likening them to the clear, impartial sky.

勤廉思想的代表人物为明代著名廉吏况钟。况钟的一生堪称勤廉之生动写照。其在苏州知府任内，严惩贪污、整顿吏治，减免赋税、与民休息，兴修水利、劝课农桑，设“济农仓”、赈贷饥民，平反冤狱、打击强暴，兴修府学、重视人才，最终积劳成疾，卒于任上，真正做到了为国为民、鞠躬尽瘁。况钟与包拯、海瑞齐名，均被民间誉为“青天”。

Kuang Zhong’s thought on diligent integrity focuses on the practical requirements of fulfilling duties, mainly reflected in works such as *The Collected Works of Prefect Kuang*. In this thought, “diligence” and “uprightness” have no sequential order; they support each other and are dialectically unified. First, “diligence” is the guarantee of “uprightness.” Without diligent governance, clean governance cannot be truly realized. But if one only seeks the reputation of integrity while being lazy and negligent in governance, the ultimate harm is still to the interests of the masses. True integrity necessarily requires officials to be diligent in their duties and conscientious in their responsibilities. Second, “uprightness” is the direction of “diligence.” Without clean governance, diligent governance loses its correct value orientation. Even if one is diligent, if there is greed in the heart, then one’s actions will inevitably be selfish, degenerating into a “diligence” for private gain, running counter to the essence of diligent governance for the people.

况钟的勤廉思想侧重履职尽责的实践要求，主要体现于《况太守集》等著作。在这一思想中，“勤”与“廉”并无先后之分，二者互为支撑、辩证统一。其一，“勤”为“廉”之保障。无勤政，廉政便无从真正实现。但若只图廉洁之名却懒政怠政，最终损害的还是群众利益。真正的廉洁，必然要求为官者勤于职守、尽心尽责。其二，“廉”为“勤”之方向。无廉政，勤政便失去正确的价值取向。纵然勤政，但若心存贪念，则处事必有私心，亦会沦为谋私之“勤”，与勤政为民之本质背道而驰。

Currently, a small number of Party members and cadres exhibit a phenomenon of lazy and negligent governance, thinking “better to do nothing than to make a mistake.” There are also a small number of Party members and cadres who have an excess of “diligence” but a deficiency in “uprightness,” crossing disciplinary red lines in their work and entrepreneurship. The thought on diligent integrity enlightens us: Party members and cadres must be both clean and upright, holding the bottom line, and also diligent and pragmatic, taking responsibility and acting, truly achieving excellence in both diligence and integrity.

当前，少数党员干部存在“为了不出事、宁可不干事”的懒政怠政现象，也有少数党员干部“勤”有余而“廉”不足，在干事创业中触碰了纪律红线。勤廉思想启示我们：党员干部既要清正廉洁、守住底线，又要勤勉务实、担当作为，真正做到勤廉兼优。

Loyal Integrity Thought

忠廉思想

The representative figure of loyal integrity thought is Zhen Dexiu, a Southern Song dynasty Neo-Confucian scholar, politician, and writer. Throughout his life, Zhen Dexiu was dedicated to spreading Neo-Confucianism, inheriting and developing the teachings of Zhu Xi, and founding the “Xishan Zhen School.” [2]2 The “Xishan Zhen School” was a Neo-Confucian school founded by Zhen Dexiu, named after his studio name “Xishan” (Western Mountain).

忠廉思想的代表人物为南宋理学家、政治家、文学家真德秀。真德秀一生致力于传播理学，继承并发展朱熹之学，开创“西山真氏学派”。

Zhen Dexiu’s thought on loyal integrity focuses on the underlying color of loyalty in political stance, mainly reflected in works such as *The Extended Meaning of the Great Learning*. Zhen Dexiu directly linked “loyalty” and “uprightness,” arguing that “a loyal minister must be upright, and an upright person must be loyal; a treacherous minister must be greedy, and a greedy person must be treacherous.” He supported this with specific historical examples: Zhuge Liang was utterly loyal to the Shu Han regime, and during his lifetime he reported his family property as only “eight hundred mulberry trees in Chengdu and fifteen qing of thin fields,” [3]3 A *qing* (顷) is a traditional Chinese unit of land area, roughly equivalent to 6.67 hectares or 16.5 acres. proving that “a loyal minister must be upright, and an upright person must be loyal.” The Tang dynasty Chancellor Yuan Zai abused his power, accepted bribes, and lived in extreme luxury; when his property was confiscated, eight hundred dan of pepper were found, [4]4 A *dan* (石) is a traditional Chinese unit of dry volume, roughly equivalent to 60 kilograms or 132 pounds for grain. The enormous quantity of pepper, a luxury spice at the time, was used to demonstrate Yuan Zai’s extreme corruption. proving that “a treacherous minister must be greedy, and a greedy person must be treacherous.” In this thought, the “loyalty” Zhen Dexiu spoke of mainly referred to the feudal monarch, bearing the specific imprint of the era. However, the law it reveals—that “loyalty and integrity are highly correlated”—has significance that transcends the times. Today, “loyalty” and “integrity” are also mutually reinforcing. Loyalty is the political prerequisite for integrity; a Party member or cadre who is disloyal to the Party can hardly be truly self-disciplined and upright. Integrity is the concrete manifestation of loyalty; a Party member or cadre with problems in integrity cannot be said to be truly loyal to the Party.

真德秀的忠廉思想侧重政治立场的忠诚底色，主要体现于《大学衍义》等著作。真德秀将“忠”与“廉”直接联系起来，认为“忠臣必廉，而廉者必忠；奸臣必贪，而贪者必奸”，并以具体史事对此加以佐证：诸葛亮尽忠于蜀汉，生前自报家产仅“成都有桑八百株，薄田十五顷”，以此证明“忠臣必廉，廉者必忠”；唐代宰相元载弄权纳贿、奢侈无度，抄家时竟搜出胡椒八百石，以此证明“奸臣必贪，贪者必奸”。在这一思想中，真德秀所言之“忠”主要指向封建君主，带有特定的时代烙印，但其揭示的“忠诚与廉洁高度关联”这一规律，却具有超越时代的启示意义。在今天，“忠”和“廉”也是相辅相成的，忠诚是廉洁的政治前提，一个对党不忠诚的党员干部很难真正做到廉洁自律；廉洁是忠诚的具体体现，一个廉洁上有问题的党员干部也谈不上对党真正忠诚。

Currently, a small number of Party members and cadres are duplicitous, outwardly compliant but inwardly uncooperative, playing “two-faced” roles and being “double-dealers,” disloyal to the Party and dishonest with the organization. Such phenomena profoundly show that the separation of “loyalty” and “integrity” inevitably leads to political degeneration and transformation. The thought on loyal integrity enlightens us: Party members and cadres must unify absolute loyalty to the Party and the people with self-discipline and integrity in the practical work of fulfilling their duties.

当前，少数党员干部表里不一、阳奉阴违，搞“两面派”、做“两面人”，对党不忠诚、对组织不老实，此类现象深刻表明“忠”与“廉”的割裂必然导致政治上的蜕化变质。忠廉思想启示我们：党员干部必须将对党和人民的绝对忠诚与廉洁自律统一于履职尽责的实际工作之中。

Filial Integrity Thought

孝廉思想

The representative figure of filial integrity thought is Huang Tingjian, a Northern Song dynasty writer, thinker, and calligrapher. Throughout his life, Huang Tingjian adhered to establishing himself through filial piety and governing with integrity. His touching story of “washing his mother’s chamber pot” was later included in the “Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars” and passed down, becoming a model of traditional filial piety. [5]5 The “Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars” (二十四孝) is a classic Confucian text from the Yuan dynasty that compiles twenty-four stories of exemplary filial piety from ancient China. In his official career, he was deeply concerned with the people’s hardships. He once wrote the “Admonition on the Stone Tablet” for self-warning: “Your salary and emolument are the fat and marrow of the people. The common people are easy to oppress, but Heaven is hard to deceive,” and was called “Blue Sky Huang.”

孝廉思想的代表人物为北宋文学家、思想家、书法家黄庭坚。黄庭坚一生坚持以孝立身、以廉从政。其“涤亲溺器”的感人故事被后世列入“二十四孝”而流传，成为传统孝道之典范；其为官关注民生疾苦，曾书写“尔俸尔禄，民膏民脂。下民易虐，上天难欺”的《戒石铭》以自警，被称为“黄青天”。

Huang Tingjian’s thought on filial integrity focuses on the emotional foundation of family ethics, mainly reflected in works such as *The Collected Works of Mr. Yuzhang Huang*. In this thought, “filial piety” is the root of “integrity,” and “integrity” is an extension of “filial piety.” A person who can be filial to parents and respect elders possesses a basic sense of gratitude and responsibility. When this emotion is extended to society, it gives rise to compassion for the people’s hardships and reverence for one’s duties. Conversely, being an official without integrity, embezzling and breaking the law, not only brings shame upon oneself but also disgraces one’s parents and family—this is great unfilial conduct. Therefore, the ancients paired “filial piety and integrity,” precisely because they saw that one who can fulfill filial duties at home can maintain integrity when serving as an official; filial piety is the emotional foundation of integrity, and integrity is the political manifestation of filial piety.

黄庭坚的孝廉思想侧重家庭伦理的情感根基，主要体现于《豫章黄先生文集》等著作。在这一思想中，“孝”为“廉”之根，“廉”为“孝”之延伸。一个人能孝顺父母、敬爱长辈，便具备基本的感恩之心与责任意识，此种情感推及社会，便会生发出对群众疾苦的体恤、对职守的敬畏。反之，为官不廉、贪赃枉法，不仅自身蒙羞，更使父母家族受辱，此乃大不孝。因此，古人将“孝廉”并举，正是洞察到，在家能尽孝者，出仕方能守廉；孝是廉的情感根基，廉是孝的政治体现。

Currently, a small number of Party members and cadres have improper family traditions and lax family education, engaging in a “one family, two systems” approach, leading to “nepotistic corruption,” “yamen corruption,” and family-style corruption. [6]6 “One family, two systems” (一家两制) is a contemporary Chinese term referring to a corrupt practice where one family member works in the public sector while another engages in private business, often exploiting the official’s position for personal gain. The thought on filial integrity enlightens us: Party members and cadres should start by being filial to parents and respecting elders, take the lead in managing their families with integrity, cultivate a sense of gratitude and responsibility in their relatives and children, extend this virtue into governance, and achieve integrity in public service and serving the people.

当前，少数党员干部家风不正、家教不严，大搞“一家两制”，出现“裙带腐败”“衙内腐败”及家族式腐败。孝廉思想启示我们：党员干部应当从孝亲敬老做起，带头廉洁治家，培养亲属子女的感恩之心和责任意识，将这种美德延伸到为政之中，做到廉洁奉公、服务人民。

Pure Integrity Thought

清廉思想

The representative figure of pure integrity thought is Zhou Dunyi, a Northern Song dynasty writer and Neo-Confucian scholar. Zhou Dunyi was the founding father of Song dynasty Neo-Confucianism. Throughout his life, he was indifferent to fame and fortune, not coveting glory or profit, devoted himself to scholarship, and expressed his aspirations through writing. His famous line, “Emerging from the mud unstained, washed in clear water without being seductive,” uses the lotus as a metaphor for the noble character of a gentleman who does not collude with the corrupt nor become arrogantly aloof.

清廉思想的代表人物为北宋文学家、理学家周敦颐。周敦颐乃宋代理学开山鼻祖，一生淡泊名利、不慕荣利，潜心治学，以文明志；其“出淤泥而不染，濯清涟而不妖”的名句，以莲喻人，象征君子不同流合污、不孤高自许的高洁品格。

Zhou Dunyi’s thought on pure integrity focuses on the conscious realm of inner cultivation, mainly reflected in works such as *On the Love of the Lotus*. In this thought, “purity” refers to a state of moral cultivation that transcends utilitarian calculations; “integrity” is the external code of conduct and practical requirement. Without “purity,” there is no “integrity”; only by cultivating the mind with “purity” and perfecting one’s own morality can one achieve “integrity” in behavior and practice. At the same time, “integrity,” as the concrete externalization of “purity,” is also indispensable. If one only remains at the internal level of “purity,” “integrity” becomes a “castle in the air” and cannot be implemented in practice.

周敦颐的清廉思想侧重内心修养的自觉境界，主要体现于《爱莲说》等著作。在这一思想中，“清”意指一种超越功利计较的道德修养状态；“廉”则是外在的行为准则与实践要求。无“清”则无“廉”，唯有以“清”养心、完善自身道德，方能做到行为和实践层面的“廉”。同时，“廉”作为“清”的具象外化，亦不可或缺。若仅停留于“清”的内在层面，“廉”便成为“空中楼阁”，无法落地践行。

At present, a small number of Party members and cadres, though able under high-pressure deterrence to achieve “dare not be corrupt” and under institutional constraints to achieve “cannot be corrupt,” have not yet truly formed the moral self-consciousness of “do not want to be corrupt.” Once supervision weakens or institutional loopholes appear, there remains the risk of violating discipline and law. The thought of clean governance [7]7 清廉思想 (qīnglián sīxiǎng): “Thought of clean governance” – a concept in Chinese political culture emphasizing incorruptibility, moral self-discipline, and the rejection of corruption by officials. enlightens us: to strengthen the construction of a culture of clean governance in the New Era, we must rely not only on high-pressure deterrence and institutional cages, but even more on the inner moral self-consciousness of Party members and cadres, continuously elevating from the realm of “dare not” and “cannot” to that of “do not want.”

当前，少数党员干部虽能在高压震慑下做到“不敢腐”，在制度约束下做到“不能腐”，但尚未真正形成“不想腐”的道德自觉，一旦监督弱化或制度漏洞显现，仍有破纪破法的风险。清廉思想启示我们：加强新时代廉洁文化建设，既要靠高压震慑和制度笼子，更要靠党员干部内心的道德自觉，从“不敢”“不能”向“不想”的境界不断升华。

Cao Duan’s [8]8 曹端 (Cáo Duān, 1376–1434): Ming dynasty Neo-Confucian scholar and official known for his advocacy of public integrity and opposition to corruption. thought of public integrity, Kuang Zhong’s [9]9 况钟 (Kuàng Zhōng, 1383–1443): Ming dynasty official famed for his diligence, incorruptibility, and effective governance as prefect of Suzhou. thought of diligent integrity, Zhen Dexiu’s [10]10 真德秀 (Zhēn Déxiù, 1178–1235): Southern Song dynasty Neo-Confucian scholar and official who emphasized loyalty and integrity in governance. thought of loyal integrity, Huang Tingjian’s [11]11 黄庭坚 (Huáng Tíngjiān, 1045–1105): Northern Song dynasty poet, calligrapher, and official, celebrated for his filial piety and moral rectitude. thought of filial integrity, Zhou Dunyi’s [12]12 周敦颐 (Zhōu Dūnyí, 1017–1073): Northern Song dynasty Neo-Confucian philosopher, author of the “Taiji Diagram,” whose thought on purity and integrity influenced later clean governance discourse. thought of clean integrity, together with the fine words and exemplary deeds of numerous upright officials and incorruptible functionaries, jointly constitute the magnificent picture of the excellent traditional Chinese culture of clean governance, providing rich intellectual resources and abundant historical nourishment for the construction of a culture of clean governance in the New Era. To strengthen the construction of a culture of clean governance in the New Era, we must educate and guide the broad masses of Party members and cadres to attach importance to inheriting the genes of clean governance and continuing the spiritual bloodline, constantly enhancing the ideological and action-based self-consciousness of clean governance in exercising power, cultivating oneself, and regulating one’s family.

曹端的公廉思想、况钟的勤廉思想、真德秀的忠廉思想、黄庭坚的孝廉思想、周敦颐的清廉思想，以及众多清官廉吏的嘉言懿行，共同构成了中华优秀传统廉政文化的壮丽画卷，为新时代廉洁文化建设提供了丰富的智慧资源和丰厚的历史养分。加强新时代廉洁文化建设，要教育引导广大党员干部注重传承廉洁基因、赓续精神血脉，不断增强廉洁从政、廉洁用权、廉洁修身、廉洁齐家的思想自觉和行动自觉。

(The author is Deputy Secretary-General of the China Research Center for Clean Governance, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

（作者系中国社会科学院中国廉政研究中心副秘书长）