瓜田不纳履，李下不整冠 | Avoid suspicion

guā瓜tián田bù不nà纳lǚ履，，lǐ李xià下bù不zhěng整guān冠

To avoid actions or situations that could lead to suspicion or misinterpretation, even if one's intentions are innocent; to steer clear of anything that might invite unwanted scrutiny.

为了避嫌，他在与客户讨论财务问题时，总是坚持有其他同事在场，真正做到了瓜田不纳履，李下不整冠。

To avoid suspicion, when discussing financial matters with clients, he always insisted on having other colleagues present, truly embodying the principle of 'don't tie your shoes in a melon patch, don't adjust your hat under a plum tree'.

Era:

Ancient

Frequency:

Synonym:

瓜田李下

Story:

During the Northern Qi Dynasty, Yuan Yuxiu, a man of profound knowledge, served as the governor of Boling. He was known for his integrity, strict separation of public and private affairs, and refusal to accept any gifts.

Once, while on an inspection tour to another region, he passed through Yanzhou. His old friend, Xing Shao, who was the Inspector of Yanzhou, offered him a bolt of white silk, a local product.

Yuan Yuxiu politely declined his friend's kind offer, explaining that officials should be mindful of the 'melon field and plum tree' principle, meaning to avoid any actions that could arouse suspicion.

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