Zhège hángyè fēngqì bù hǎo, dàn tā néng chū yū ní ér bù rǎn, shízài nándé.
The culture of this industry is poor, but she has stayed unstained by it — truly rare.
Tips
history
From Zhou Dunyi's (周敦颐) Song-dynasty prose 《爱莲说》 (On the Love of the Lotus): 予独爱莲之出淤泥而不染，濯清涟而不妖 — 'I alone love the lotus for emerging from the mud unstained, and being bathed in clear ripples yet not seductive.' The lotus is Confucian shorthand for the incorruptible gentleman (君子).
usage
Strong positive connotation — reserved for people of genuinely exceptional integrity, not just anyone who avoids trouble. Often paired with 濯清涟而不妖 in formal tribute writing.
