偷媚取容 — “To ingratiate oneself by cunning flattery and obsequiousness”

During the Wu Zhou period of the Tang Dynasty, the imperial court was rife with corruption, and many officials resorted to 'tou mei qu rong' (cunning flattery to gain favor).

A prime example was Zhang Ji, who, to please Xue Shi, a monk favored by Empress Wu Zetian, personally carried yellow silk and, whenever Xue Shi was about to mount his horse, would prostrate himself on the ground to serve as a human stirrup.

Another notorious case involved Guo Ba, a Censor, who personally tasted the feces of the ruthless official Lai Junchen to show his loyalty and ingratiate himself.

Similarly, the poet Song Zhiwen was known for holding the commode for Zhang Yizhi, another powerful favorite of the empress.

These incidents vividly illustrate the extent to which officials would debase themselves through obsequious flattery to gain power and position.