Meticulous; scrupulous; painstaking and conscientious; not the least bit careless or negligent.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
During the Ming Dynasty, the emperor issued a decree strictly prohibiting the slaughter of oxen for farming, a ban that even followers of Islam had to abide by. One day, the gentry Zhang Jingzhai and the successful candidate Fan Jin went to visit Tang Feng, the county magistrate of Gaoyao. Magistrate Tang hosted a banquet for them.
During the meal, an old man presented Magistrate Tang with fifty catties of beef, which he and several other Muslim followers had pooled together, hoping for a lenient treatment regarding the ban. Magistrate Tang, though usually susceptible to bribes and also a follower of Islam, was hesitant due to the imperial decree. He asked Zhang Jingzhai, "You've been an official before, and this matter concerning the ban on slaughtering oxen is precisely what I need to discuss with you. Just now, some Muslim followers, wishing for leniency, presented fifty catties of beef. Should I accept it or not?"
Zhang Jingzhai shook his head, "Absolutely not! You and I are officials, and our hearts should only be loyal to the Emperor, not to those of the same faith. I recall Mr. Liu in the Hongwu era (referring to Liu Bowen); when Emperor Hongwu secretly visited his home, Zhang Wang of Jiangnan (referring to Zhang Shicheng) happened to send a jar of vegetables. When opened on the spot, it turned out to be a jar of gold. The Emperor was furious and demoted Mr. Liu to the county magistrate of Qingtian the next day, later even poisoning him to death."
Hearing Zhang Jingzhai speak with such conviction, Magistrate Tang couldn't help but believe him and eagerly asked for advice on how to proceed. Zhang Jingzhai said, "Your Honor can make a big show of this matter. Arrest that old man, give him dozens of lashes, then put him in a large cangue. Pile the presented beef on top of the cangue and display a public notice beside it, explaining their audacity and blatant disregard for the law. If your superiors learn that you handle matters with such meticulousness (一丝不苟), then your promotion and wealth will be just around the corner."
Magistrate Tang listened, nodding repeatedly, "That makes perfect sense." He then proceeded exactly as advised.