以百姓心为心

以百姓心為心

yǐbǎixìngxīnwéixīn

phrase

Meanings

1 to take the people's heart as one's own heart
2 to govern by making the common people's wishes one's own

Characters

surname (百姓 = common people)

Examples

圣人无常心，以百姓心为心。

Shèngrén wú cháng xīn, yǐ bǎixìng xīn wéi xīn.

The sage has no fixed mind of his own; he takes the people's heart as his heart.

好的领导应当以百姓心为心，真正为群众办事。

Hǎo de lǐngdǎo yīngdāng yǐ bǎixìng xīn wéi xīn, zhēnzhèng wèi qúnzhòng bànshì.

A good leader should take the people's heart as their own and truly work for the public.

Tips

history

From 《道德经》 chapter 49 (Laozi): 圣人无常心，以百姓心为心。 One of the foundational statements of Daoist political philosophy — the ruler has no private agenda, only channels the will of the governed. Frequently quoted in modern Chinese political discourse about 'people-centered governance.'

usage

以…为… is a classical pattern meaning 'to take X as Y'. Here: take (the people's heart) as (one's heart).

Stroke Order

以 yǐ

百 bǎi

姓 xìng

心 xīn

为 wèi