This emphasizes the immense value of keeping one's word. A person who makes a promise is bound to it as if by a contract worth a fortune.
In ancient China, personal honor and trustworthiness were the foundation of social and business relationships, especially in the absence of written contracts. Breaking a promise was a moral death sentence.
This saying elevates verbal promises to the level of sacred bonds. It signals that a person's reputation depends on reliability, and that trust is the most valuable currency in any relationship.
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