1. Sima Guang changed the customs in Luoyang
 
Sima Guang (1019 – 1086 AD) of the Song Dynasty is known for his honest and upright conduct. Due to wide acclaim and recognition of his moral character and good name, customs in Luoyang City were influenced by him while he lived there. The people of Luoyang began to emphasize reputation for integrity instead of discussing profit and self-gain. Everyone had an honest mindset and they stayed vigilant for improper thoughts and actions. Even the youngsters reminded each other to not do criminal deeds, for if Sima Guang found out, then they would suffer immense shame.
 
2. Chen Shi advised a thief
 
Chen Shi (104 – 187 AD) was a righteous man during the Eastern Han Dynasty. He treated people generously and dealt with matters fairly. Whenever conflicts broke out in the village, people would request for Chen Shi to mediate and determine who was in the right or wrong. Chen Shi could fairly and accurately provide a verdict each time. His explanations of what is right and wrong always convinced the conflicting parties. After a while, a proverb emerged in the village, “One would rather be flogged by government officials than to be identified as in the wrong by Chen Shi.”
 
One night, a thief appeared in Chen Shi’s home. The thief hid himself on the ceiling beams but Chen Shi discovered him. Chen got up from the bed with a candle and summoned everyone in the household. Chen Shi said, “One cannot cease to encourage oneself. An evildoer does not mean this person was bad from birth; rather it is due to the development of bad habits from performing bad deeds too many times. This is the situation with the gentleman on the beam. He was not a bad person before, but hunger and cold drove him to this state…”
 
When the thief heard Chen Shi’s words, he was shocked and jumped down from the ceiling beam. He admitted his sin to Chen Shi and begged for forgiveness. Chen Shi advised him calmly, telling him to aspire to change and become a good person, never to perform a shameful act again. Chen Shi even gave the thief two rolls of cloth and encouraged him to make the painful determination to change.
 
Chen Shi’s response to this incident inspired an entire county. Since then, the county no longer had any thieveries or robberies.
 
3. Governor Fang instructed and influenced people by his words and deeds
 
During the Five Dynasties period (907 – 960 AD), Fang Jingbo was the governor in Qinghe. He was honest and incorruptible as a governor. Moreover, he was very obedient to his mother as a son. His mother was not only knowledgeable, but also very understanding and reasonable.
 
There was a lady in Beiqiu. Her son was not obedient. She listed many facts around the lack of filial piety and reported him to the governor’s office.
 
Fang Jingbo’s mother said, “People here are still lacking reason and have yet to understand justice and courtesy. As a governor, you have not applied guidance well. You must not blame them too much.”
 
Fang’s mother summoned the lady from Beiqiu to the governor’s residence and treated her with meals. She ordered the lady’s son to stand beside them while they were eating so that he could witness how Governor Fang Jingbo served his own mother. Afterward, the lady’s son was allowed to eat.
 
After ten days in the governor's residence, the lady’s son had seen Governor Fang’s respectful and cautious behavior and obedience to his mother. He said to his own mother, “Mother, I am wrong. I will mend my comportment. From now on, I will show my filial obedience to you. Let’s go home.”
 
Governor Fang’s mother said to Fang and the lady from Beiqiu, “Though your child expressed some shame, in his inner heart, he is not truly ashamed of himself.” Therefore, Fang’s mother kept the lady and her son from leaving the official residence for another twenty days.
 
Twenty days later, the lady’s son suddenly knelt down and kowtowed in front of his mother to show his repentance. He repeatedly kowtowed until he bled. The lady was so moved that her face was bathed in tears. She begged the governor to allow them to go back home.
 
In the end, the lady’s son became well-known in Beiqiu for being filial to his mother.
 
The above stories were from Ways of Accumulating Blessings and Mitigating Disasters.
 
文史漫谈：古代先贤正己化人故事选
 
一、司马光使洛阳风俗为之一变
 
宋朝的司马光为人忠厚正直，天下闻名。正因为他的德望威仪非常博大，所以他住在洛阳的时候，洛阳的风俗都受到他的影响感化，而为之一变。
 
由此以来，洛阳世人多能崇尚名节，而羞于谈论钱财利害；人人都有廉耻的观念，知道有所警惕，不敢为非作歹了。
 
就是后生小辈想要做一件事情，也必定会互相的提醒，彼此的警惕说：“千万别做坏事啊！如果做了坏事，一旦被司马光知道，那就会无地自容啊！”
 
二、陈寔劝导梁上君子
 
后汉时，有位名叫陈寔的正人君子，待人宽厚，处事公正。乡里间若是有人发生了争执，都会请陈寔出面协调，究竟是谁对、谁错？陈寔都能够公平、准确地做出裁判，并且讲清对错的道理，令争执的双方都心服口服，无话可说。
 
久而久之，乡里间就流传了一句谚语：“宁可被官府责罚打板子，千万别被陈寔点名说不是。”
 
有一天夜晚，陈寔的家里来了一位小偷，躲在屋子的大梁上面，被陈寔发现了。陈寔就起床拿著蜡烛，招呼家中的子弟，集合起来训话。陈寔说：“人不可以不自勉啊！不善之人，未必是他本来就恶，只是因为他经常做恶事，养成了习惯之后，以至于此。就像我们家屋梁上面的那位君子（梁上君子，典出于此）心地本来不坏，也是饥寒交迫所致……”
 
这个小偷，听到了陈寔的话，大吃一惊，就从屋梁上跳了下来，向陈寔认错请罪；陈寔和颜悦色地劝导他，要他立志改过迁善，别再做见不得人的事。并且还赠送他绢布两疋，勉励他务必要痛下决心改过。
 
陈寔的作风，影响所及，居然感化了一个县。从此以后，县里再也没有盗窃的事情发生了。
 
三、房太守的言传身教
 
五代时，房景伯担任清和太守，他廉洁奉公，生性至孝。房景伯的母亲，不但学问好，而且还十分通情达理。
 
贝邱地方，有一位妇人，列举了她儿子不孝的事实，把自己的儿子告到了太守府。
 
房景伯的母亲，就向房景伯说：“这里的老百姓，尚未能明白道理，未能通晓礼义，这是你作为太守，教导不力所致。你可不要过份的责备他们啊！”
 
房景伯的母亲将这位告自己儿子不孝的贝邱妇人，召到太守府里面，和她在一起吃饭，并且叫她的儿子在旁边站著，要他看著太守房景伯如何地侍奉自己的母亲吃饭。然后，再叫他吃饭。
 
这样过了十天，这位不孝的儿子，天天亲眼看到房太守恭谨孝顺地侍奉母亲的行为，受到很大震动，就对他的母亲说：“妈！我错了，我一定会改过，从今以后，一定会好好孝顺您老人家的。我们回家吧！”
 
房景伯的母亲，对房景伯太守和贝邱妇人说：“这孩子，表面上虽然已经露出了惭愧的样子；但是他的内心，却还没有真正地感到惭愧。”因此，就再留贝邱妇人母子二人，在太守府中，继续生活了二十多天。
 
二十天以后，贝邱妇人的儿子，忽然向母亲下跪，叩头忏悔，一直叩头到流血。贝邱妇人因此而感动得泪流满面，乞求太守，准许他们母子回家。
 
后来，这位贝邱妇人的儿子，居然以孝顺而闻名乡里，成了孝子。
 
（以上均据《集福消灾之道》）