During the Spring and Autumn period, Jin State had a prison warden named Li Li, known for his unwavering integrity in handling cases strictly according to the law, treating nobles and commoners alike with equal justice. One day, after discovering he had wrongfully executed an innocent man due to a subordinate's error, Li Li bound himself and sought an audience with the ruler. The ruler, Duke Wen of Jin, was taken aback and said, "This is your subordinate's fault, not yours." Li Li replied, "I hold the highest office in the judiciary and receive the highest salary. I never shifted responsibility to my subordinates when things went well, so how can I blame them now? The law states that those who misjudge a crime must be punished, and those who cause wrongful death must die themselves." Duke Wen insisted, "But you see this as your own failure, while I see it as my failure as your sovereign." Li Li answered firmly, "A warden who bends the law for personal favor is disloyal, and one who punishes unfairly is unjust. By the law, I must die." With that, he refused the ruler's pardon and drew his sword to take his own life. This story illustrates the ancient ideal of absolute accountability, where a true official holds himself to the same strict standards he applies to others.
Once, while reviewing past cases he had approved, he discovered a wrongful death sentence he had once confirmed, and a deep sense of guilt overwhelmed him.
Under the law of his time, anyone who wrongly sentenced another to death must themselves be executed. Knowing he had committed this very crime, Li Li resolved to uphold the law's integrity, declaring, "I have erred in judgment and condemned an innocent man. Justice demands my life in return." He refused all pleas for mercy and accepted his fate, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to legal principle.
So he ordered his men to bind him and escort him to Duke Wen of Jin, where he explained the situation and requested the death penalty.
After learning the situation, Duke Wen of Jin ordered his guards to untie Li Li and excused him, saying, "Official positions have high and low ranks, and sentencing should also have degrees of severity. The main fault in this case lies with those below; you should not bear primary responsibility."
Li Li disagreed with Duke Wen of Jin's assessment, insisting that while his subordinates had made errors, he was the highest official overseeing punishments and had personally approved the death sentences, thus bearing undeniable responsibility. He firmly requested, 'I must be executed to uphold the law,' and refused to back down, even as the duke tried to absolve him.
Duke Wen of Jin firmly disagreed, but Li Li was unwavering unto death, saying, "Your Majesty, I have committed a capital crime. If I am not executed, how can Your Majesty uphold the dignity of the law, and how can Your Majesty maintain your authority?"
With that, Li Li did not hesitate for a moment—he lunged toward the sword held by the soldier beside him and fell upon it, dying by the blade.
Later, the idiom "sworn to never change" came to describe a resolve that remains steadfast until death.
Source: *Records of the Grand Historian*, "Biography of Upright Officials"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "誓死不二" came to describe a resolve that remains steadfast until death.