The most important thing about being an official is to correct others by yourself. If you are not correct by yourself, how can you correct others? Because of this, ancient China regarded integrity as the main criterion for a good official. "Three Kingdoms: Li Tong Biography" records that Sima Yi once proposed: "As an official, you must be honest, cautious, and diligent. If you practice these three, why not rule it out?" Integrity is regarded as the primary condition for an official. Lu Zulian of the Southern Song Dynasty also pointed out in "The Great History of Killing Leon": "There are only three things to be clean as an official: daily purity, daily prudence, and daily diligence." Integrity comes first.

In the history of China for thousands of years, there are indeed some politicians who have been honest, fair and selfless. Bao Zheng in history is one of them.

Bao Zheng lived a simple and honest life. History books say that although Bao Zheng later became a high official and had a high status, the clothes he wore, the utensils he used, and the food he ate were no different from when he was a commoner. After he was appointed as the envoy of Shaanxi Province, he was supposed to wear the "Zhangyan" with the new rank symbol to take office as a sign of honor. Fortunately for him, he went to his post wearing his original clothes. After hearing this, Song Renzong appreciated it very much, and specially sent people to chase Bao Zheng on fast horses, and gave Bao Zheng the seal of the third grade picture. Duanzhou is rich in inkstones. Duan inkstones have long been famous as early as the Sui and Tang Dynasties. When delivering inkstones to the court, successive officials would take the opportunity to extort money, increase the quantity, and increase the burden on the people. As a result, the people complained. After Bao Zheng took office, he changed his old habit and ordered the inkstone workers to make inkstones according to the tribute amount, without leaving any for himself. This move was very popular among the people. When Bao Zheng left office, the inkstone maker specially refined a fine inkstone and gave it to him as a souvenir. He politely declined and "returned without even one inkstone." In his later years, Bao Zheng left a legacy to educate future generations: "Those who are guilty of corruption and abuse of property will not be allowed to return to their own family, and they will not be buried in a big tomb after their death. Those who do not follow my will are not my descendants. "

Bao Zheng is based on integrity and has gradually gained great power. Historical records say: "The noble relatives and eunuchs held back their hands for it, and everyone who heard about it was afraid." There were rumors in Kaifeng Mansion, where the capital was located at that time, that Bao Zheng was like Yama in the underworld. Whoever wants to buy joints, go through the "back door" and do something " If there is an unhealthy trend, then I will not want to be an official again. Bao Zheng reported to the emperor seven times, demanding severe punishment for the cruel official Wang Kui, and finally achieved his goal; he dared to impeach the emperor's concubines, and he also dared to accuse prominent relatives of the country. Zhang Yao, a relative of the country, became the prime minister, which made the people poor and the country impoverished. Bao Zheng ignored his personal safety and wanted to remove this scourge. He impeached Zhang Yao again and again, forcing Song Renzong to remove Zhang from his important position. Everything Bao Zheng did naturally won the respect of the people. During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, a general of the Xiqiang people, Yu Longhe, joined the Song Dynasty. When he went to the capital to see the emperor, he asked the emperor to give him the surname Bao Zheng. There is a monument next to the Kaifeng Mansion Office. Everyone who has served as governor in Kaifeng Mansion has their name and time of service engraved on the tablet. Bao Gong once served as the governor of Kaifeng for more than a year and was also engraved on it. During the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhou Mi once said that the word "Bao Zheng" on the monument inscribed by the governor of Kaifeng: "He was pointed out by others, and the fingerprints were deep." This was because the people loved him. Everyone who comes here, in order to express their admiration, is willing to touch the sculpture with the two characters "Bao Zheng" with their fingers. This stele is still preserved in the Kaifeng History Museum.

As the saying goes, if you are upright, you are not afraid of a slanted shadow. If all the officials are honest and not greedy, then the politics of the entire country will be improved and the economy will be strong. During the prosperous Tang Dynasty, the country was very powerful and foreigners came to court, which was an unprecedented event. It relies on the word "incorruptible". In modern society, this principle is still useful, and its effect is even greater. Even Western politicians have learned this principle.

Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime Minister of Singapore, believed that “a country must be built with integrity.” Lee Kuan Yew himself took the lead in clean government, and he bought his house and cars with his own money. He has many political opponents who oppose him and attack him, but none of them accuse him of corruption. There is a famous minister in the government who is one of the elders of Singaporean politics and has a deep personal relationship with Lee Kuan Yew. When it was revealed that the minister was suspected of corruption, he approached Li, hoping that Li could protect him. Lee Kuan Yew said: If I want to protect you, my party will not be able to stand. In the end, the minister committed suicide before going to court. Lee Kuan Yew relied on his integrity to win prestige and popular support, making Singapore one of the Four Asian Tigers within a few decades.