Be Thrifty and Exercise Self-Restraint

Be Thrifty and Exercise Self-Restraint

This idea originated in Su Shu: "Be courteous and thrifty and exercise self-restraint." Thrift is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation. Guided by the philosophy of harmony between humanity and nature, the Chinese believe that humans should refrain from excessive exploitation of natural resources, or nature will retaliate. Thriftiness and self-restraint can also directly influence the rise or fall of a family and even a nation. As Li Shangyin, a renowned poet from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), once wrote, "History tells us that diligence and thrift lead to success, while luxury and extravagance lead to failure." In terms of the cultivation of moral integrity, Zuo's Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals considers thrift a common trait shared by men of virtue and extravagance the biggest evil of all. According to The Book of Changes, "A gentleman avoids calamities by virtue of thrift."

In recent decades, advancement of technology has led to great material abundance. But humans now face resource depletion and environmental degradation. Driven by consumerism, people seek to satisfy their material desires, while neglecting growth and enrichment of the inner world. The idea of being thrifty and exercising self-restraint reflects the wisdom of the Chinese in understanding and handling the relationship between thriftiness and extravagance. Now, this idea is embodied in many Chinese policies such as the Empty Plate Campaign and the government's continuous efforts to conserve resources and fight corruption.

儉約自守

儉約自守出自《素書》，原文是“恭儉謙約，所以自守”。意為做人要以勤儉節約來要求自己，這是中華民族的一項傳統美德。基于天人合一的理念，中國人認為人類對自然的利用應該有所節制，不能濫用和浪費自然資源，否則會受到自然界的懲罰。儉約自守還關系到國家興衰和家庭聚散。正如唐代著名詩人李商隱所說：“歷覽前賢國與家，成由勤儉敗由奢。”在個人良好品德的養成方面，《左傳》指出，節儉是有德之人共同的品質，而奢侈是惡行中的大惡。《周易》認為，君子能夠通過節儉的美德避免災難。

當今時代，科技的發展使得物質產品極度豐富，但人類不得不面臨資源枯竭和環境惡化等問題；消費中心主義使人們追逐物欲的滿足，但忽略了自身精神生命的成長和豐富。儉約自守體現了中國人認識和處理勤儉與奢華、集約與浪費之間關系的思想智慧。中國倡導“光盤行動”、全面加強資源節約工作、持之以恒正風肅紀反腐等，就是遵循儉約自守理念的具體實踐。