During the slave society, slaves endured a miserable existence, toiling daily at farming, hunting, weaving, and brewing, yet they remained hungry and poorly clothed, often suffering whippings from their masters. In stark contrast, the slave owners, without lifting a finger, enjoyed fine clothes and rich food, living in luxury off the fruits of the slaves' labor.
One day, slaves were felling trees by the river, the clear water rippling gently as the rhythmic "thud, thud" of axes echoed far in the midday stillness. Drenched in sweat under the scorching sun, they had not yet eaten by noon, their stomachs empty. Looking up, they saw their master's grand estate across the river, with granaries overflowing and game of all sizes hanging, and could not help but feel a surge of grief and anger.
The slaves, one after another, poured out their grievances against their masters, and later a musician compiled their words into a poem titled "Cutting Sandalwood."
In the preface of *Cutting Sandalwood*, it says: "Those in power are greedy and receive rewards without merit." This criticizes the slave owners for reaping without sowing. The poem reads:
The idiom "Not Even One Hair" comes from the Warring States period, when the philosopher Yang Zhu was known for his extreme individualism. One day, his disciple Qin Guli asked him, "If plucking a single hair from your body could save the entire world, would you do it?" Yang Zhu replied, "The world's problems cannot be solved by a single hair." Qin Guli pressed, "But if it truly could, would you?" Yang Zhu remained silent, unwilling to sacrifice even that much. This story, recorded in *Mencius*, Chapter "Jin Xin," illustrates the principle of extreme self-preservation—today, it describes someone so stingy they won't give even the smallest amount to help others.
He left it by the riverbank.
The clear river water ripples with gentle waves.
You do not plow or harvest.
Why are you taking away thousands upon thousands of bundles of grain?
You do not go up the mountain to hunt.
Why Is There a Badger Hanging in Your Courtyard
Those "great gentlemen,"
Not Just Free Rice!
Later, the idiom "Receiving Rewards Without Merit" came to describe enjoying generous treatment without having earned it.
Source: *Book of Songs*, "Cutting Sandalwood"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "无功受禄" came to describe enjoying generous treatment without having earned it.