Li Shiqian, a Good and Caring Officer

(Clearwisdom.net) Li Shiqian was an army officer in the Zhao Region (now Zhao County, Hebei Province) during the Beiwei Dynasty (386-534). Although his family was wealthy, he lived a thrifty life. He used his money to help poor people. For example, whenever a family could not afford a funeral, he would help cover the cost. If two brothers quarreled with each other because of an unequal division of their family property, he would support the one who got the least amount. Often, this would shame the brothers into supporting each other more and family harmony would be restored. Once, someone in his family caught a thief who was stealing grain. He tried to calm the thief, saying: "I think you were only stealing because your family is poor. As an officer in this region, I must bear responsibility." He let the thief go and the man turned into a hard-working, industrious person afterwards. Another time, some cows strayed onto his fields and ate his crops. He asked someone to herd the cows to a cool, shaded area and had grass cut to feed the cows.

During one calamitous year, crop yields were very poor. Li Shiqian distributed grain to tens of thousands of poor people. When, by the end of the year, those people were still unable to return the grain to him, they came to his house to apologize and asked him for a six-month extension. Li Shiqian said, "My family's surplus grain should be used to help people." He burned his debtors' IOUs and said, "You have all paid back what you owed. You should no longer worry about it anymore." The next year's harvest was good and people hurried to return the grain they had borrowed but he would not accept anything.

Several years later, another calamity occurred and Li Shiqian again tried his best to help people, saving many lives. Li Shiqian became sick and died after years of hard work during the eighth year of Kaihuang (588 AD) in the Sui Dynasty (581-618). Tens of thousands of people came to his funeral and the sound of mourning filled the air. People said, "Why did he have to die when all of us he was helping are still alive?" Many people brought funeral gifts to his family. Li Shiqian’s wife did not accept any of them, saying, "Dear folks, Shiqian was thrifty throughout his life. He was always kind and willing to help. He would not accept any gifts. I will do what he would want me to do!"

Chinese people have a rich traditional culture with a sound moral foundation, and are pure and honest. The same spirit that has illuminated thousands of years of history still continues and will last forever, despite the repeated persecutions during the rule of the Chinese Communist Party.