During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Emperor Guangwu's sister, Princess Huyang, was grieving the loss of her husband. The emperor wanted to find her a suitable new match, so he discussed the court officials with her, hoping to gauge her interest. He asked, "Among all my ministers, who catches your eye?" The princess replied, "Minister Song Hong is unmatched in both talent and virtue." The emperor nodded, understanding her choice. He then summoned Song Hong and said, "The saying goes, 'When wealth and status come, one changes friends and wives.' Isn't that human nature?" Song Hong firmly answered, "I have heard that a true friend is never forgotten, and a wife who shared hardship is never cast aside." Impressed by his loyalty, the emperor turned to the princess and said, "The matter is settled—he will not change." This story gave rise to the idiom "a wife of humble beginnings is never abandoned," celebrating steadfast loyalty over fleeting desires.
Princess Huyang, without any pretense, compared the court ministers one by one and finally said, "Song Hong is dignified in appearance and virtuous in conduct—none of the ministers can match him." Emperor Liu Xiu nodded repeatedly and replied, "We truly think alike. Song Hong is indeed outstanding among the court officials."
A few days later, Emperor Guangwu summoned Song Hong to the palace, seating his sister behind a screen to listen as he spoke with Song Hong and gauge his intentions.
Emperor Guangwu said to Song Hong, "An old saying goes: 'When one gains status, he changes friends; when one gains wealth, he changes wives.' Don't you think this is a perfectly understandable human sentiment?"
Song Hong shook his head and replied, "Absolutely not. I've heard that friends made in poverty are the most precious—how could I forget them? And my wife shared my humble meals of chaff and endured hardship with me. If I were to discard old friends and abandon my wife just because I've gained status and wealth, could I live with my conscience?"
After hearing this, Emperor Guangwu nodded repeatedly in approval. After seeing Song Hong off, the emperor said to his sister, "Song Hong is truly a gentleman; it seems your marriage arrangement will not work out." Later, the idiom "the wife of one's days of poverty is not to be cast aside" came to be used as a metaphor for not abandoning the spouse who shared one's hardships during humble times.
Source: *Book of the Later Han*, "Biography of Song Hong"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "糟糠之妻不下堂" came to describe how the wife of one's days of poverty is not to be cast aside.