Tā zhǔzhāng dāngmiànluó, duìmiàngǔ, jué bú bèihòu yìlùn.
He believes in talking it out face-to-face and never gossiping behind people's backs.
Tips
history
Recorded in the Ming-dynasty novel 《金瓶梅词话》 (Jīn Píng Méi Cíhuà), chapter 51. The image: rather than going through go-betweens, you sit down with both gongs and drums in plain view and settle it.
usage
Use when arguing for openness and direct confrontation over backroom complaints. Carries a positive nuance — straightforwardness, not aggression.
