Avoiding suspicion: An ancient lesson for modern governance

"Do not tie your shoes in a melon field, nor adjust your hat under a plum tree." This line is from Cao Zhi's poem The Conduct of a Gentleman. It serves as a metaphor for proactively avoiding suspicion and preventing problems before they arise.

This ancient teaching holds practical significance for the self-supervision of the Communist Party of China and the cultivation of its members in the new era. It is not only a form of wisdom for officials to exercise integrity and strict self-discipline and to encourage nipping problems in the bud, but also a form of cultural consciousness – a willingness to actively accept oversight and safeguard political integrity.  

In the culture and livelihood field, artists and cultural project administrators are entrusted with power to allocate public cultural resources, approve funds for intangible cultural heritage, and deliver people-centered programs. Faced with situations akin to the "melon field and plum tree" dilemma, they must stay vigilant. They should ensure transparency in project bidding, procurement and evaluation, and regulate the exercise of power through institutional rules to put an end to under-the-table dealings from the source.

Rooted in traditional Chinese values, the precept that "a gentleman keeps out of compromising situations" embodies self-restraint, propriety and upright conduct. It resonates deeply with the Party’s mission to serve the people wholeheartedly. When this traditional philosophy of self-cultivation is internalized as a conscious constraint, it helps foster an environment where officials "dare not, cannot, and have no desire to engage in corruption." Only in this way can Party members in the new era hold fast to the bottom line and never cross the red line in cultural welfare work. Only then will cultural livelihood projects become transparent undertakings that win public trust.