Yelu Chucai of the Yuan Dynasty was a loyal minister who cherished both his emperor and the people. Towering in stature with a handsome face, a flowing beard, and a resonant voice, his upright character earned him great favor from the emperor. Though he was the eighth-generation descendant of the Liao Dynasty's Prince of Dongdan, Tuyu, and his father had served as a high-ranking official, Yelu never flaunted his lineage, rising through the ranks on his own merit.
Here is the English translation of the idiom story, presented as a single line and adhering to all specified rules: Once, the emperor mistakenly arrested Yelu Chucai and ordered him bound. Later regretting it, he commanded his release, but Yelu Chucai refused, declaring, "I serve as your advisor, managing state affairs. If you bound me for a crime, you should tell the officials my offense is unforgivable. Releasing me now implies I am innocent. How can matters be handled so capriciously, as if humoring a child? What will happen when national crises arise?" The court officials trembled at his bold speech, so the emperor apologized, "Though I am emperor, I too can err." Only then did Yelu Chucai agree to be unbound, a story that vividly reveals his character.
With such an honest nature, Yelü Chucai dared to speak truthfully before the emperor and criticize unreasonable rules and systems. At that time, wealthy men like Liu Hudu, Shelie Fading, and Liu Tingyu sought to purchase the nationwide tax-collection rights for 1.4 million taels of silver. This practice—where the government calculated tax quotas and contracted them to the highest bidder—began in the Song Dynasty and flourished in the Yuan Dynasty, with tax rights often awarded to the highest bidder. Yelü Chucai had always opposed this. He knew that even if the wealthy paid top prices, they would still profit; the higher the price, the heavier the burden on the common people, while the state also lost massive tax revenue. After long deliberation, he decided to advise the emperor to abolish this unjust system. He said to the emperor, "Those who seek to buy tax rights are greedy for enormous profits. They deceive Your Majesty and the court, oppress the people below, and think only of enriching themselves. This practice causes immense harm."
Yelü Chucai served as an imperial advisor his entire life, never deceiving the emperor or oppressing the people, and devoted himself utterly to the state. When he passed away at just 55, someone falsely accused him of hoarding half the empire's tribute during his long tenure as chief minister. The empress ordered a thorough investigation of his home, only to find a dozen stringed instruments, some calligraphy and paintings, and over a thousand scrolls of his own writings—nothing more. This episode reveals a facet of Yelü Chucai's incorruptible governance and impartial administration.
The idiom "Deceive Above, Abuse Below" describes deceiving superiors while oppressing subordinates and the people.
Source: *History of Yuan*, "Biography of Yelü Chucai"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "罔上虐下" came to describe deceiving superiors while oppressing subordinates and the people.