During the Jin Dynasty, Yin Xian, courtesy name Hong Qiao, was the governor of Yuzhang Prefecture. When he was leaving his post, many people entrusted him with letters to take back to their hometowns, as there were no postal services then, and people relied on others to carry their mail. He politely accepted over a hundred letters.

However, upon reaching Shitouzhu, he threw all the letters into the river. Later, when people didn't receive their letters, they often associated the loss with the fact that they had entrusted them to Hong Qiao.