Huangfu Mi of the Jin Dynasty was a learned and noble-minded man. His family was poor, and he had to farm himself to make a living. Every time he went to work in the fields, he always brought books along. High officials and nobles repeatedly summoned him for his reputation, but he remained unmoved, focusing wholeheartedly on studying classics and writing at home, earning the nickname "Book Addict" from his contemporaries.
During the Jingyuan era, the Chancellor summoned 37 scholars to serve at court, including Huangfu Mi. Thirty-six accepted the post of "Cavalry Commandant," but Huangfu Mi alone refused. His relatives and neighbors urged him, saying, "Serving a wise ruler like Yao or Shun, enjoying an official's salary, earning merits inscribed on bronze bells and tripods—wealth in life, honor in death—isn't that excellent?"
Huangfu Mi replied, 'When people are driven by power, scheming endlessly for profit and glory, they abandon propriety and lose themselves—this is not the foundation of righteousness. A sage contemplates the virtues of Fuxi and Shennong, admires the ways of Youyu and Xia Yu, seeking a "gentle and harmonious" spirit, not a "sharp and meticulous" scrutiny. Yan Yuan cultivated his character, found peace in poverty, and earned lasting fame—he is the true model for people like us!'
"Chacha er ming": Observing trivial matters with excessive scrutiny, describing someone who prides themselves on being clever.
Source: *Book of Jin*, Biography of Huangfu Mi
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "察察而明" came to describe observing trivial matters with excessive scrutiny, describing someone who prides themselves on being clever.