📖 Meaning
This idiom describes a state of good governance where minor officials are honest and upright in their duties, while major officials uphold and enforce the law properly. It reflects the Confucian ideal that all officials, regardless of rank, must fulfill their responsibilities with integrity for the nation to prosper.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase traces back to the 'Liyun' chapter of the Book of Rites (礼记·礼运), a foundational Confucian text compiled during the Han dynasty from earlier Zhou-era materials. The original passage states that when major ministers uphold the law and minor ministers maintain integrity, when official positions follow in proper sequence and ruler and ministers correct one another, the state prospers. The idiom condenses this into the principle that both great and small officials must each be upright in their respective spheres, forming the foundation of harmonious governance.
💡 Example Usage
若能小廉大法，各尽其职，则国泰民安。
If all officials, great and small, are upright and fulfill their duties, the country will enjoy peace and prosperity.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 小廉大法
- Pinyin: xiǎo lián dà fǎ
- Literal Translation: small, honest, big, law
- Category: Leadership
- Characters: 4