People are drawn to wealth and avoid poverty, regardless of distance or proximity. Society's attention is transactional—your status, not your location, determines who cares about you.
This is a cynical observation on human nature that has been popular for centuries, often quoted to express disappointment in fair-weather friends and relatives. It reflects the deep social awareness of face and status in Chinese culture.
This saying exposes the harsh reality of social status and how people treat each other based on wealth, not character. It signals a cynical but pragmatic view of human nature, reminding listeners that relationships often shift with fortune. Chinese people use it to express disappointment in fair-weather friends and to motivate self-reliance rather than relying on others.
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