This extended version adds that prolonged poverty, like illness, erodes family harmony and patience, leading to constant misery and conflict. It highlights how external hardships test familial bonds.
This saying reflects the Chinese understanding that material conditions deeply affect moral behavior and family relationships, a realistic take on the limits of virtue under duress.
It's a sobering reminder of the interconnectedness of health, wealth, and relationships, and it encourages empathy for those in prolonged hardship.
Draw random cards from hundreds of real Chinese folk sayings and proverbs. Each flip reveals what Chinese people actually mean.
🎴 Play Chinese Wisdom Cards