Provide Frank Advice, Be Loyal to Friends, and Repay Kindness

 
Li Daliang (586 – 644 AD) was from Jingyang County (currently in Sh8892nxi Province). He was an honest and discreet official in the capital city, although he was not considered a gifted speaker. However, with a strong and resolute heart, he would not hesitate to engage in direct admonishments with the emperor, showing himself to be resilient and unwavering. He also held high moral standards, demonstrated loyalty to his friends, and repaid the kindness of others.
 
As a government official, Li cared little for his own fame and always gave the emperor frank advice. Both the people and the country benefited as a result of the many good suggestions that Li gave Emperor Tang Taizong. Li Daliang used to be the commander of Yuezhou City. In the first year of Zhengguan under Emperor Taizong’s rule, he was transferred back to the capital and promoted to Taifuqing (a very high ranking position with many interactions with the emperor). He was later assigned to be the commander-in-chief of Liangzhou City. One official once spotted a magnificent eagle and suggested that Li give it to the emperor as a gift (because Emperor Taizong used to love eagles as pets). In a secret letter to Emperor Taizong, Li wrote, "Your Highness, you stopped hunting a long time ago, but one of your officials has been searching for eagles for you. If this were your idea, you would be violating your old rules; but if this is his idea, you have the wrong person in office."
 
Emperor Taizong replied in his letter, "Since I have such a good official in you, I really don't need to worry about anything. Ancient people considered words to have great weight, perhaps as much as a thousand pounds. Today, I am granting you a huping (a foreign vase). Although it does not weigh that much, it is one of my personal belongings." The emperor also gave him the book Han Ji (History of Han Dyansty) as well.
 
Li Daliang also held high moral standards and demonstrated loyalty to his friends. He served his older brother and sister-in-law so well that he gained a great reputation. When his poor relatives died with no money for burial, Li always took care of it with his own money. The government had granted him many servants, but Li gave them all to his relatives. Although he was a famous, high-ranking official, he lived a very simple life. His home was small and unpretentious without any glittering jewelry.
 
After he defeated Fu Gongshi, a rebel leader, in 624 AD, Li was rewarded with one hundred servants. But he said to these servants, "You are all children of good scholars; misfortune has made you homeless. How could I take you as servants?" He then released them all. When Emperor Gaozu (father of Emperor Taizong) heard about this, he praised Li's action highly.
 
When others are kind to you, you should remember them and repay them. This is called, "Zhi En Bi Bao" ("Remember the kindness of others and repay them unconditionally"). Li Daliang was a person who lived this proverb. Zhang Bi had once saved Li Daliang's life. After Li became rich and famous, he often thought of Zhang and looked for opportunities to repay him. But Zhang too was a person of high moral standards. He helped and saved others but never sought repayment. Zhang was also an official in the capital at the time. When he heard that Li was looking to repay his kindness, he purposely avoided Li.
 
Li looked for Zhang everywhere but was unable to find him. One day, he coincidentally met Zhang on the street. With tears in his eyes, he held Zhang's hands and humbly offered him all his money. Zhang insisted that he would not accept this offer. Li also told the emperor that he’s able to be where he is today all thanks to Zhang Bi. Li asked the emperor to grant his own position and title to Zhang. The Emperor promoted Zhang as a result of Li's request.
 
At that time, everyone praised Li for his act of remembering and repaying the kindness he had received from Zhang; at the same time, people also praised Zhang for his humility.
 
直言进谏　重义报恩
 
李大亮，是唐朝京兆泾阳人。生性忠诚谨慎，外表好像不会说话，但内心刚毅，在皇帝面前能够犯颜直谏，从不回避屈服，其为人非常重道义，知恩必报。
 
李大亮身为臣子，不惜个人荣辱，经常直言进谏，很多利国利民的好建议都被太宗所采纳。李大亮原先任越州都督，贞观初年被召入朝廷拜授太府卿，又出任凉州都督。有一个官吏看到一只极好的鹰，婉言劝李大亮献给皇上，李大亮秘密上表说：「陛下停止打猎很长时间了，却有使者寻求大鹰。如果真是陛下的意思，就违背了过去的旨意；如果是使者擅自搜求，就是使者用非其人了。」
 
太宗写信答复说：「有像你这样的臣子，朕还有甚么担忧的！古人认为一言之重如千斤，今天赏赐胡瓶一个，虽然没有千镒之重，却是朕自己用的物品。」又赏赐了一部《汉纪》给他。
 
李大亮有德行，非常重道义。他侍奉哥哥嫂子礼节周到而闻名；有孤苦的同族人去世后没人安葬，都是李大亮出钱为他们操办后事；朝廷赏赐给他的奴婢，他全都送给了亲戚；他虽然官位高名声大，但非常俭朴，居室简陋狭窄，没有金银珠宝。
 
李大亮当初打败辅公祏后，因为立下战功被赏赐奴婢一百人，李大亮对他们说：「你们都是士大夫的子女，不幸破落逃亡，我怎么忍心将你们记录在册作为奴隶呢？」便将这些人都释放回去了。唐高祖听说后，对其非常赞赏。
 
别人施予自己的恩惠牢记不忘，想方设法报答对方，这叫作知恩必报，李大亮就是这样一个人。张弼曾经救过李大亮的性命，李大亮后来富贵了，心里总是惦记着有机会要报答他。张弼也是位有德行的人，他救人帮人并不贪图别人的回报，他当时正任将作丞，在得知李大亮要找他报恩后，故意回避不见李大亮。
 
李大亮四处找张弼没有找到，一天，居然在路上让他遇到了，他拉住张弼哭泣流泪，诚心要将全部的家财都给他，张弼坚持不接受。李大亮又告诉皇帝自己能有今天，全是张弼的功劳，希望皇帝将自己的官爵全部都赐给他，皇帝因此升迁张弼为中郎将、代州都督。
 
当时的人都称赞李大亮知恩必报，同时也赞扬张弼不自夸。