During the Ming Dynasty, the emperor banned the slaughter of cattle with no exceptions, even for Muslims. One day, the gentry Zhang Jingzhai and the scholar Fan Jin visited Magistrate Tang Feng. An old man brought fifty jin of beef, pooled together by local Muslims, as a gift. The magistrate - himself Muslim but bound by the emperor's decree - was unsure whether to accept. He asked Zhang Jingzhai, who shook his head: 'Absolutely not. We officials must serve only the emperor. Arrest the old man, punish him publicly, display the beef on a cangue, and post a notice. When your superiors see how meticulous you are - not a single thread neglected - your promotion will be assured.' The magistrate agreed and followed the plan.
明朝时候，皇上下令禁止宰杀耕牛，就是信奉回教的人也不例外。一天，乡绅张静斋与举人范进相约去拜访高要县知县汤奉。席间有位老者给汤知县送来了他与其他几个信回教的人拼凑起来的五十斤牛肉。汤知县一向贪赃受贿，而且他也是信奉回教的人，但是上面有禁令，一时也不知该不该收下这份礼。于是问张静斋。张静斋摇头道：这可千万使不得。你我都是做官的人，心中应当只有皇上。世叔可在这件事上大作文章。把那位老者抓起来，打他几十板子，再用一面大枷枷了，把送来的牛肉堆在大枷上面，并且在旁边出一张告示。如上司知道你办事这样一丝不苟，那么你升官发财就指日可待了。汤知县听了，连连点头：十分有理。便照此办理了。
Reflection & Analysis · 寓意解读
Core Wisdom
The idiom originally described extreme attention to detail. In this story, it takes on a darker edge - meticulous cruelty disguised as dutiful service. Today it simply means thorough, careful work.
The idiom originally described extreme attention to detail. In this story, it takes on a darker edge - meticulous cruelty disguised as dutiful service. Today it simply means thorough, careful work.