During the Han Dynasty, a man named Yin Wenggui from Pingyang County mastered the law, loved fencing, and achieved considerable skill in martial arts. In his youth, he served as a minor prison official, earning a notable reputation locally.
During the reign of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, the powerful General Huo Guang, who also hailed from Pingyang, held sway over the court. His household servants, relying on their master's influence, often ran rampant in the marketplace, seizing goods and property by force. Ordinary farmers dared not resist, and even local officials, fearing Huo Guang, turned a blind eye to these abuses, fueling widespread public outrage.
When Yin Wenggui was appointed as the official overseeing the Pingyang market, order was finally restored. He enforced the law with strict impartiality, refusing to show leniency to the servants of the powerful Huo Guang, despite Huo's immense influence. The Huo family's servants, already intimidated by Yin's stern justice, dared not cause trouble in the market again.
Once, when Hedong Governor Tian Yannian was inspecting Pingyang, all local officials came to greet him, including market officer Yin Wenggui. To test who among them had literary or martial talents, Tian ordered those with literary skills to stand on the east side and those with martial skills on the west.
All present took their places on either side according to their skills, but Yin Wenggui alone remained in the middle. He said to Tian Yannian, "I am skilled in both martial and civil arts, so I do not know which side to join. Please assign me as you see fit."
Those present were astonished, and Tian Yannian recognized his remarkable courage. After a conversation, Tian realized Yin Wenggui was not boasting—this man truly possessed exceptional talent—and from then on, appointed him as his subordinate.
Yin Wenggui was an upright official who never hesitated to expose wrongdoing or shield the guilty. After taking office, he handled cases with sharp efficiency, earning great respect from his superior, Tian Yannian. Impressed by Yin's outstanding performance, Tian promoted him to the position of Governor of Donghai.
When Yin Wenggui became the Grand Administrator of Donghai, he established detailed ledgers in every county, meticulously recording all criminal activities, and he frequently reviewed these files, becoming thoroughly familiar with the affairs of the commandery.
In Donghai Commandery, there lived a wealthy and powerful bully named Xu Zhongsun, who committed countless misdeeds. The locals despised him deeply, but his influence and powerful backers made him untouchable. Successive governors feared him, and some even secretly colluded with him in illegal activities, emboldening Xu to act with even greater impunity.
After arriving in Donghai, Yin Wengui heard from the locals about the notorious Xu Zhongsun's misdeeds. He conducted a thorough investigation, gathering evidence until he had enough. Then he ordered Xu's arrest and executed him in a crowded marketplace to make an example. This decisive action so terrified Xu's associates that they dared not break the law again.
After Yin Wenggui punished Xu Zhongsun, the local tyrants trembled in fear and restrained their misdeeds, bringing peace and stability to Donghai under his governance, earning him fame throughout the commandery.
Later, people used the idiom "Punish One to Warn a Hundred" to refer to punishing one person as a warning to others.
Source: *Book of Han*, "Biography of Yin Wenggui"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "惩一儆百" came to describe punishing one person as a warning to others.