Hanzi

Zhuo Mao was from Nanyang during the late Han Dynasty. While serving in the prime minister's office, he once gave his carriage horse to someone who claimed it was their lost horse, and he pulled the carriage himself, telling the person: "If it's not your horse, please return it to the prime minister's office." Later, the real lost horse was found, and the person returned Zhuo Mao's horse. When Zhuo Mao was the magistrate of Mi County, someone accused a local official (tingzhang) of accepting rice and meat from him. Zhuo Mao dismissed everyone and asked: "Did the tingzhang ask for it, or did you have something to ask of him?"

The accuser replied: "Because I was afraid of him, I sent it. A tingzhang should not accept gifts, so I came to report him." Zhuo Mao said: "You are not doing it right. Even among villagers, there is reciprocity and showing closeness. Officials should only not take advantage of their position to demand gifts. If you do not cultivate yourself, how can you go far away and live free from the troubles of this world? The tingzhang is a good official; sending some rice and meat for the New Year is acceptable."

The accuser asked: "Doesn't the law forbid it?" Zhuo Mao replied: "If I talk about reason, you will have no resentment. If I talk about law, there will be no compassion. Will you accept this lesson, or accept legal punishment? I hope you reconsider!" The man realized his mistake, and the tingzhang was very grateful.

Initially, other officials mocked Zhuo Mao, and the prefecture even assigned him an officer skilled in legal codes, but Zhuo Mao had no objections. A few years later, everyone in Mi County lived by reason, and nothing was picked up from the streets. During Emperor Ping's reign, locusts plagued over twenty counties in Henan, but Mi County alone was spared. The governor personally visited to confirm it.