The lotus rises from the mud unsullied, cleansed by the clear ripples without becoming seductive; its stem is hollow and straight, it does not spread or branch, its fragrance grows stronger as it travels far, standing tall and pure. Officials should be like the lotus. However, in reality, some officials confess, writing, "I treated others as friends, but they treated me as bait." Others regret making friends unwisely, "being dragged down by friends"... All these problems stem from a lack of the lotus's noble qualities of "rising from the mud unsullied, cleansed by the clear ripples without becoming seductive."
Relationships based on self-interest will dissolve when the profit is gone. Some officials associate with all sorts of people not because they claim to be "approachable," but because they seek personal gain; some officials, upon seeing others corrupt, do not condemn or resist, but instead "compare the worst," confidently declaring, "There are bigger cases than mine," and righteously asserting, "The secretary eats the meat, I drink the soup." Greed makes them sink deeper and deeper into the mire; how can they stand tall and pure, remaining untainted?
Greed is like fire; if not checked, it will spread like wildfire; desire is like water; if not checked, it will overflow. Historical records indicate that Li Chong, a man from the Later Wei dynasty, was kind, decisive, and good at making decisions after becoming an official, but he was also greedy. At that time, Emperor Xiaoming and Empress Dowager Ling inspected the Left Treasury and ordered their entourage to carry as much cloth as they could, rewarding them accordingly. Li Chong and Prince Zhangwu, Yuan Rong, carried too much and both fell. Li Chong sprained his back, and Yuan Rong broke his leg. This led to the infamous saying, "Chenliu Zhangwu, injured back and broken leg. Greedy scoundrels, defiling our wise ruler." In today's materialistic world, where temptations are everywhere, many people succumb to the allure of money, power, beauty, and fame, becoming "hunted," "fished," and "dragged down"—a profound lesson.
"Human nature is such that people don't stumble over mountains, but often fall at small clods of earth." If Party members and leading cadres are not cautious in their actions and private affairs, they are easily tainted by bad habits, slowly corrupted, and ultimately doomed. Therefore, we should learn from the lotus: "Straight and upright, without tendrils or branches, its fragrance spreading far and wide." Stand tall and act with integrity, doing things cleanly and living a pure life.
Officials should be like the lotus, maintaining their purity and integrity to truly be incorruptible.
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