要留清白在人间

要留清白在人間

yàoliúqīngbáizàirénjiān

phrase

Meanings

1 (I) want to leave purity behind in the human world
2 a vow to preserve one's integrity — from Yu Qian's poem on limestone

Characters

to leave behind

Examples

他退休时只说一句：要留清白在人间。

Tā tuìxiū shí zhǐ shuō yī jù: yào liú qīngbái zài rénjiān.

At retirement he said just one line: 'I want to leave integrity behind in this world.'

做官不贪，要留清白在人间，这是于谦的气节。

Zuò guān bù tān, yào liú qīngbái zài rénjiān, zhè shì Yú Qiān de qìjié.

Serving without corruption, to leave integrity in the world — that was Yu Qian's moral fiber.

Tips

history

From 于谦 Yu Qian (Ming dynasty) 《石灰吟》: 粉身碎骨浑不怕，要留清白在人间 — 'though ground to powder and smashed to bits, I fear nothing; I want to leave purity in the world.' Yu Qian, who saved Ming from Mongol invasion in 1449, was later executed on false charges — the poem proved autobiographical.

usage

清白 is a pun: literally 'clear white' (limestone's color after firing), figuratively 'moral purity / unsullied name.' Almost always quoted with 粉身碎骨浑不怕.

Stroke Order

要 yào

留 liú

清 qīng

白 bái

在 zài

人 rén

间 jiān