This phrase describes a modest, unpretentious lifestyle, often chosen voluntarily as a sign of contentment and moral purity. It implies that happiness does not require luxury, and that simple living can be a form of spiritual wealth.
In Chinese culture, especially influenced by Daoism and Buddhism, frugality is often associated with wisdom and detachment from material desires. The phrase carries a positive connotation of self-sufficiency and inner peace.
This saying allows the speaker to signal humility and moral integrity without directly criticizing others' wealth. It is a polite way to assert one's values of simplicity and to distance oneself from materialistic competition.
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