Definition, source (origin), and role of frugality

Definition of frugality: refers to living frugally and with restraint. It is a virtue and an excellent traditional culture, and a way to improve the quality of thought and morality.

Originally from Yanzi Chunqiu - Jianxia XIV

The term refers to frugality and thrift.

Yanzi Chunqiu - Remarks on the Next Fourteen: "It is fine to be frugal and thrifty, but it is not beneficial to be lawful in one's clothing or to live in one's room." Tang Bai Juyi (唐 白居易)《太平乐词》之一："The yearly abundance is still frugal, and the time is more favorable for the soldiers." The Sixth and Third Episode of The Legend of the Martyrs of Valor: "For the most part, when one has experienced hardship, one will naturally be frugal; when one is a little accustomed to wealth and riches, one will naturally be lavish." Xu Teli, "My Life": "A family of three, with no labor force, lives on rent, and is relatively frugal."

Thriftiness reflects respect for laborers in general and for oneself. Every labor is a situation of the finiteness of life, and everyone, including oneself, cannot avoid entering into this situation as long as one exists in a social way. The awareness of the value of the results of this labor constitutes a prerequisite for frugality as a habit of life.

Thrift has become a habit

It means that thrift has become a habit.

Su Dongpo paid great attention to frugality in his life.

When he was demoted to Huangzhou in 1080 A.D., he was in dire straits. In order to survive, he devised a special way of planning and spending: he divided all his income into 12 portions, one for each month; then he divided each portion into 30 small portions, and used only a small portion each day. He hung each small portion of money on the beam of the house, and picked a bag of money to use every morning, and did not allow the surplus to exceed the amount. The rest of the money, he used another bamboo tube to save, in order to prepare for unexpected expenses.

Later, he was a senior official in the court, but still focus on thrift, never luxury. He ordered himself only one meal and one dish for each meal, and only two additional dishes for guests, not allowed to spread out, or else he refused to eat. Once, one of Su Dongpo's old friends reunited with him, invited him to dinner, he told his friend must not make a big fuss. However, when Su Dongpo went to his old friend's house for a banquet, he saw that the banquet was prepared quite lavishly, and he politely refused to be seated, and took his leave. After Su Dongpo left, his friend said with emotion: "When Dongpo was in trouble, he lived a frugal life. I did not expect him to be so frugal now that he is in a high position."