Be an Official for the People; Noble and Pure in Character
 
Zheng Xie, courtesy name Kerou, was commonly known by his art name Banqiao. He was from Xinghua City in Jiangsu Province. He was a Jinshi, a successful candidate of the highest imperial examination in the era of Emperor Qianlong (1735 – 1796 AD) during the Qing Dynasty. He lived in Yangzhou and was famous for his “three specialties” – poetry, writings, and painting.
 
Zheng Banqiao was once the Shandong Province county magistrate in Fan County and Wei County for over ten years. In order to not disturb the common people, he avoided grandiose displays and always traveled in a simple manner. Sometimes he even wore plain clothes and straw shoes to visit common people. When he saw poor people who needed help, he always opened his purse.
 
Jinshi candidate Han Mengzhou was originally very poor. One night as he diligently read in a hut, Zheng Banqiao saw him. Zheng took pity on him and supported him financially so that he could take part in the imperial civil service examination. Han then achieved the rank of Jinshi. Zheng Banqiao helped orphans even more. When children could not go home after school due to rain, Zheng sent people to bring them meals and shoes. Zheng did not even treat servants differently from other people. To absolve them from their shame, he burned the servants' slave contracts secretly. He also often taught his son and other family members that they should not castigate servants. These examples demonstrate Zheng's uprightness, kindness, and compassionate mindset toward the common people.
 
One year, as recorded in poems that have been passed down, Wei County endured severe natural disasters. "A child sold every ten days, a wife sold every five days," from Escape from Famine and "Killing animals for their meat, death awaits when animals are all gone," from Thinking of the Return are two such examples. Zheng Banqiao donated his own salary and opened the granary to provide relief to disaster victims. His subordinate advised him not to act without authorization in order to avoid punishment from higher officials. But Zheng knew the common people's lives were in great danger. He would assume all responsibility for any blame. He also carved a stamp with the words "A wish that one could cancel all the hunger debt in the world" to show his determination.
 
Corrupt officials were jealous of Zheng Banqiao because he fought for relief for the common people. He was eventually dismissed on false accusations. When he left office, the common people gathered to see him off. He did not have a grand parade of a carriage and horses, but hired only three donkeys. He rode one donkey himself, another carried his books and musical instrument, and his servant rode the third one. He was a kind and "light-wind-in-both-sleeves" official of high moral standards. (Explanation: In ancient China, people used their sleeves to carry things, which could accommodate a lot more things than the pockets of modern times. "Light-wind-in-both-sleeves" is a Chinese phrase used to describe honest officials that only have light wind in their sleeves, meaning they have remained uncorrupted.)
 
After his return to Yangzhou, Zheng made a living selling his paintings. He concentrated on the arts of poetry, writing and painting. As a common person or an official, Zheng Banqiao valued moral integrity. He assimilated those moral values into his art. He liked to draw bamboo, orchids, and rock formations. Some of his best paintings were those of bamboo. Bamboo symbolizes loftiness, straightforwardness, and character; orchids symbolize not drifting with the current, of living a simple life; and stones and rocks symbolize strength and durability. Because his writings and paintings display not only artistic ability but also moral values and principles that have been treasured since ancient times, generation after generation of Chinese people have venerated his arts. Even people today still cherish them.
 

做官为民　高洁有节
 
郑板桥，名叫郑燮，字克柔，板桥是他的号，是江苏兴化人，清乾隆年间进士，客居扬州，以诗、书、画「三绝」著称于世。
 
郑板桥曾担任山东范县和潍县的县令十多年，为了不骚扰百姓，他任官期间从不大摆排场和官威，总是简装出行，有时甚至穿着布衣草鞋探访百姓。遇到需要帮助的贫苦之人，总是解囊相助。进士韩梦周原先贫困潦倒，深夜在茅屋苦读时，被郑板桥发现，郑板桥非常怜悯，用自己的俸禄资助他去参加了科举考试，结果高中进士。对于孤儿，郑板桥更是倾力相助。县里孩子放学遇上下雨不能回家，他便派人去送饭送鞋。即使对于佣人，郑板桥也不另眼看待他们，为了怕佣人难堪，他把先前家中与佣人的卖身契都偷偷拿去烧掉，并且经常教育儿子和家人，不能苛责佣人。其忠厚善良，爱民之心由此可见一斑。
 
有一年潍县遇到灾荒，到了「十日卖一儿，五日卖一妇」（《逃荒行》），「杀畜食其肉，畜尽人亦亡」（《思归行》）的地步，郑板桥捐出自己的俸禄，并且开仓放粮救济灾民，下属劝他不要擅自作主，以免被治罪，但郑板桥认为百姓的生死危在旦夕，上边要怪罪就由他一人承担。并刻了一方「恨不得填满普天饥债」的图章以明志。
 
郑板桥因为为百姓力争赈济而被贪官污吏嫉恨，最终遭诬告而罢官。在离任时，百姓们争相来为他送行，他没有繁多的车马随从，只雇了三头毛驴，一头自己骑，一头驮著书籍阮琴，一头仆人骑着。好一位「两袖清风」、「一尘不染」的亲民有德之官。
 
郑板桥回到扬州后，以卖画为生，专注于诗书画的艺术创作。郑板桥为人做官注重节操德行，他将自己推崇的节操和德行融会于艺术创作之中，尤喜画竹、兰、石，其中又以画竹最擅长，因为竹象征著高直有节；兰象征著不随波逐流、淡泊明志；石象征著坚强坚韧。因为其书画中展现的不只是技术和功力，更蕴含着中国人自古至今所尊崇的美德和做人道理，因此其作品流芳后世，直到如今人们还对其钟爱有加。