During the Han Dynasty, Emperor Wen of Han, Liu Heng, once dreamed he was suddenly soaring upward, nearly breaking through the clouds, but lacking just a bit of strength to reach the heavens. At this critical moment, a boatman with a yellow headscarf appeared and gave him a powerful push from below, finally helping him ascend to the celestial realm.
After waking, Emperor Wen of Han could still vividly recall every detail of his dream. Following the morning court session, he spotted a boatman wearing a yellow cap by the pond west of Weiyang Palace—exactly matching the figure from his dream. When questioned, the man revealed his name: Deng Tong.
Emperor Wen of Han was deeply superstitious. After a dream where Deng Tong seemed to push him into the heavens, the emperor declared him a prodigy, appointed him as a high-ranking imperial advisor, showered him with favor, and frequently visited his home. In truth, Deng Tong had no real skills—he couldn't handle affairs of state—but he excelled at one thing: pleasing the emperor.
One day, Emperor Wen of Han was visiting the Deng family. On a whim, he summoned a fortune-teller to read Deng Tong's face. To his surprise, the fortune-teller said Deng Tong would end up destitute and even starve to death. The emperor was displeased and said, "How could Deng Tong starve? I will ensure he enjoys wealth and honor."
Emperor Wen then decreed that the copper mountain in Yandao, Shu Commandery (modern Rongjing, Sichuan) be granted to Deng Tong, allowing him to mint his own coins. Soon after, "Deng's coins" spread across the empire, and Deng Tong's household amassed countless treasures of gold and silver.
Deeply grateful for the emperor's extraordinary favor, Deng Tong did not hesitate when Emperor Wen developed a painful abscess on his back that often oozed pus. To repay the emperor's kindness, Deng Tong would regularly suck out the pus and blood, disregarding the filth.
Once, Crown Prince Liu Qi visited Emperor Wen of Han, who was suffering from a painful boil. The emperor asked the prince to suck out the pus. After one attempt, the prince gagged and turned pale. The emperor sighed and summoned his favorite courtier, Deng Tong, to finish the task. Deng Tong willingly sucked the remaining pus without hesitation. The prince, feeling both ashamed and resentful, spat several times and secretly vowed to one day take revenge on Deng Tong.
At age 46, Emperor Wen of Han passed away, and his crown prince Liu Qi ascended the throne, known historically as Emperor Jing of Han. After taking power, Emperor Jing recalled an old grudge and issued an imperial decree stripping Deng Tong of his official position.
Soon, someone else went before Emperor Jing to accuse Deng Tong of violating the coin-minting laws. The emperor sent investigators, who confirmed the charges, so he ordered the confiscation of the Yandao copper mountain and seized all of Deng Tong's property.
After Deng Tong's downfall, he was left homeless and destitute. Fortunately, Emperor Jing's elder sister, the Grand Princess, remembered Emperor Wen's dying wish and often provided him with aid, allowing Deng Tong to survive for two years. Eventually, the Grand Princess could no longer spare time for him, and Deng Tong was forced to beg for a living. Empty-handed and without a single coin to his name, he ultimately starved to death.
Later, people used the idiom "Not a Single Coin" to describe extreme poverty, not even having a single coin.
Source: *Records of the Grand Historian*, "Biography of Favored Courtiers"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "不名一钱" came to describe extreme poverty, not even having a single coin.