Emperor Tang Daizong 

Helping Others in Need Demonstrates Compassionate
 
Helping those in need, doing good deeds, and being charitable are the traditional virtues of ancient Chinese culture. They are the righteous conduct and social responsibilities of each individual. Since ancient times, those who rule with benevolence are respected by the people, and those who slight and neglect the people are despised.
 
For example, when Wang Shu (1416 – 1508 AD) of the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 AD) was the governor of Yangzhou City, there were floods in multiple areas. He rushed to the disaster areas to offer help and submitted a detailed report of the situation to request for aid. Because he was so eager to save lives, he did not wait for the authorities' approval to distribute grain to prevent famine. He also handed out loans to assist the victims of the flooding. As a result of his efforts, he saved about two million people.
 
Afterwards, he was promoted to be the Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Service Affairs. He recommended many virtuous officials to the royal court. He lived to the age of ninety-three, and had five sons and thirteen grandchildren. Each and every one of them was a virtuous and prominent official. People said that because Wang Shu had a compassionate heart and risked his life for making his own decisions without the approval of the superiors to save the lives of two million people, he lived a wealthy and healthy long life and had offspring who were successful. People believed that this was the result of his being compassionate and virtuous.
 
During the second year of Dali during the Tang Dynasty (767 AD), the autumn frost seriously damaged the crops. Emperor Tang Daizong (727 – 779 AD) was concerned about the disaster and ordered the head of each county to report the damage to the imperial government. Liu Zao, the magistrate of Weinan County, Shaanxi Province, reported to the government saying, "Our county did not have any damage at all!" The emperor was very suspicious of his report because there were damage reports from all over China except for Weinan County. He sent someone to investigate the situation in Weinan, and found twenty thousand hectares of crops that were damaged. Upon hearing the report, the emperor said angrily, "The county magistrate is like parents to the people. He should be compassionate to its residents. Even if there was no damage to the crops, the magistrate should disclose people's suffering. Liu Zao is such an unkind official!" Thus, the emperor ruled Liu Zao guilty of his deeds and banished him to a remote area.
 
Zheng Qingchen of the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 AD) was cold-hearted and unkind. When he was the magistrate for Huaili County, he mistreated its residents. In order to safeguard his job, he did not report damage in local areas to the imperial government, and he even threatened those who spoke the truth. When Zheng left Huaili County upon the completion of his term, the residents gathered together and jammed the roads, spitting and cursing at Zheng Qingchen. Zheng submitted a report to the imperial government accusing Huaili County residents of insulting a government official. Emperor Song Zhenzong (968 – 1022 AD, ruling from 997 – 1022 AD) replied, "As a government official, the most important thing is to gain the support of the people. If the people despise you and oppose your administration, then it shows how poorly you have governed! Not only are you unaware of your wrongdoings, you even dare to gripe to the imperial government about the complaints people have against you. You are too reckless!" As a result, Zheng Qingchen was found guilty and demoted.
 
济人危难　善之所在
 
扶危济困、乐善好施，是我们中华民族的传统美德，是见义而为的善举，是人应尽的一种社会责任。自古以来仁政爱民的人受到人们的推崇，轻蔑天民的人遭到人们的唾弃。
 
例如明朝的王恕任扬州知府时，各处发生水灾，他急忙亲赴灾区赈灾，并详细列出各地灾情上报请求救援。因救人心切，不等待上级批准，就发放粟米赈济饥荒，又普遍施行贷款，赈救灾区居民，由此救活二百余万人口。他此后被任命为吏部尚书，又为朝廷引荐了很多贤臣，享年九十三岁善终，其五个儿子、十三个孙子，个个贤德而贵显。人们都说王恕以仁人的胸怀，冒著不待报准的性命危险，救活二百余万人命，一生富贵康宁寿考，子孙昌盛显达，足证其平生善德广大所致。
 
唐朝大历二年时，秋天的霜害严重的损害了农作物。唐代宗关心灾情，就下令各州县向朝廷回报农作物受损灾情。而陕西渭南县令刘澡，却向朝廷回报说：“本县农作物没有受到任何损害！”因为各地都传来灾情，而渭南县却报称没有受灾，皇上十分怀疑，就派人前往查看，结果渭南县的农作物，受损面积达三千多顷。皇上听到了调查报告生气的说：“县令乃是百姓的父母官，就算所辖县内没有遭到天灾的损害，也还要反映百姓的疾苦，县令刘澡竟然是如此的不仁！”于是将刘澡定罪，流放到很远的地方。
 
宋朝的郑清臣，为人刻薄寡恩。他当槐里县的县令时，虐待县民。为保权位，对当地遇到的灾情不仅不上报，还对说实话的人进行威胁。等到他任满离开的时候，槐里县的百姓把道路都挤满遮断了，向郑清臣吐口水咒骂他。郑清臣于是以辖内属民侮辱长官的罪名奏报朝廷，宋真宗就说：“为政最重要的是在得民心，民心对你的施政，既然是如此的唾弃反弹，那么你在槐里县的施政和所作所为，不用问也就可以知道了！你不知己罪，反而敢向朝廷抱怨百姓对你怨声载道，真是太胆大妄为了啊！”郑清臣因此被朝廷定罪贬官。