There were many virtuous mothers in ancient China who paid special attention to the development of their children's character and morality. The following are inspirational stories of two mothers who taught their children, who were government officials, to be just and honest.
 
Tian Ji's Mother Refused to Accept a Bribe of Gold
 
During the Warring States Period (453 – 221 BC), Tian Ji was the prime minister of the Qi State and he was very diligent and just at work.
 
One day, one of Tian's subordinates presented him with a gift of 100 taels of gold. [the Chinese tael refers to a unit of measure in the ancient Chinese system of weights and currency. One tael of silver weighed about 40 grams]. Tian refused the gift repeatedly, but eventually he accepted to be diplomatic. He returned home and forwarded the gift to his mother. Tian’s mother was outraged and scolded him, "The gold is more than your salary for the past three years you have been working as a prime minister. Have you robbed the gold from the civilians or have you accepted a bribe?"
 
Tian Ji lowered his head and told his mother what had happened. His mother told him solemnly, "I heard that a learned man must govern his behaviors vigilantly, cherish his good name and will never take anything that does not belong to him. A learned man should not have anything to hide because he will not cheat or take advantage of other people. A learned man will repel bad thoughts and reject bribes. You carry the responsibility of the state's administration, so you are supposed to set a good example. But now you have taken a bribe from one of your subordinates. You have cheated the king and failed the people. You are really breaking my heart! You must return the gold right away and ask the king for punishment!"
 
Tian Ji was terribly ashamed of himself after hearing his mother's admonishment. He returned the gold first. Then he went to the royal court to confess to the King of Qi State and beg him to accept his resignation. King Xuan of Qi (350 – 301 BC) praised his mother highly for her moral values. He told the entire court of officials, "A virtuous mother raises virtuous sons! Now that I know you have a virtuous mother, I no longer need to worry about corruption in my state. I shall pardon you for your misdemeanor."
 
The king issued an imperial edict to order all of the people in the State of Qi to learn from Tian Ji's mother in terms of her lofty character and virtuous education. From then on, Tian Ji governed his behaviors with an even higher standard. He later became a prime minister widely known throughout history for his virtue.
 
Cui Xuanhui's Mother Taught Him to be Loyal and Uncorrupted
 
Cui Xuanhu was a high-level government official in the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD). His mother once told him earnestly, "I have heard that when one's child becomes a government official, you can tell that he is a good official if he leads a simple, frugal life; that he must be a bad official if he is frivolous with money and leads a life of luxury. I cannot agree more. I have noticed that many of our relatives who are also officials provided their parents with lots of money, but their parents have never asked them where the money came from. It would be good if the money came from their salaries. Otherwise, they were no better than bandits. Even if these people did not commit worse crimes, I wonder how they can sleep at night. You are taking a salary from the government. If you are not loyal, clean and honest, how can you face Heaven?"
 
Cui Xuanhui followed his mother's teaching and was an honest and clean official. He was a loyal subject and looked after the people. He was later known for being a clean and honest official.
 
It is a traditional Chinese virtue to be an honest and clean person and to be diligent, honest and uncorrupted if you are a public servant. Parents should set a good example for their children by governing their own speech and conduct and by guarding their own morality. It will be good in the long run to inculcate children with moral values. By doing so, one will be truly loving of and responsible for one's children and will help them to be someone without any secret to hide.
 
古代贤母教子故事
 
古代明理贤慧的好母亲很多，她们都非常注重对子女品德的培养。她们的故事也很感人，像“孟母三迁”、“岳母刺字”等等。以下为教子清廉为官的两个故事，给人以启发和借鉴。
 
田母拒金
 
战国时期，田稷任齐国宰相，兢兢业业，办事公正。一次，他的属吏送给他百两黄金，几番推辞，最后碍于情面还是收下了。将它拿回去原封不动的献给了母亲。田母面露怒容说：“你为相三年，俸禄从没有这么多，难道是掠取民财、收受贿赂得来的？”田稷低下了头，以实情相告，田母严肃的说：“我听说士人严于修己、洁身自爱，不取苟得之物；坦荡磊落，不做诈伪之事。不义之事不存于心，不仁之财不入于家。你肩负著国家的重任，就应处处做出表率。而你却接受下属的贿赂，这是上欺瞒国君，下有负于百姓，实在让我痛心啊！速将金子退回，请朝廷发落吧！”田稷听了母亲的话，羞愧万分，先将百金如数退还，又立即到朝廷坦陈过错，请求罢相。齐宣王听后，对田母的道德风范称赞不已，他对群臣说：“有贤母必有良臣！相母之贤如此，何愁我齐国吏治不清。赦免相国无罪。”并诏令天下学习田母廉洁清正、教子有方的高尚品德。田稷更加严以自律，后来成为齐国一代贤相。
 
崔母教子忠清
 
崔玄晖，唐朝人，官任员外郎之职时，他母亲卢氏语重心长的对他说：“我曾听见人讲，子孙做官，若说他生活清贫，这是好官；如果是财物充盈余裕，奢侈享受，这是坏官。我以为这个观点很正确。我看见许多做官的亲戚，用很多钱财侍奉双亲，而双亲竟然不问那些钱财从哪里来，如果它是来自薪水俸禄，那就很好。否则，这跟强盗有甚么差别呢？纵使没有大罪，难道内心会没有愧疚吗？你今坐食俸禄，如果不能为国尽忠、清廉为政的话，何以对得起天地覆载之恩？”崔玄晖奉母训，即以清廉自励，尽忠爱民，做官以清白名于世。
 
清清白白端端正正的做人，尽职尽责克勤克俭的做官，这是中华民族的传统美德。作为家长应以身作则，时时得注意自己的言行举止，刻刻要惕励自己的道德操守。教导子女修身重德，才是为子女长远计，才是对其真正的爱护和负责，才能使其无怨无悔的立于天地间。