Wong Tai Sin Sign 55吳隱之除官歸隱Wu Yinzhi Returns to Privacy

Wu Yinzhi was a Jin Dynasty governor known for his unshakeable integrity. Posted to Guangdong province, he famously refused bribes and lived so simply that his own family remained poor back home. The poem references a specific moment: when local people gave him a farewell gift of aromatic wood, he initially accepted it as genuine gratitude for his fair rule. But when his ship hit rough weather, Wu interpreted this as heaven's displeasure with his compromise. He threw the gift overboard, and the storm calmed. This story became legendary in Chinese culture as the ultimate example of choosing principle over profit. Wu's willingness to literally throw away valuable gifts to maintain his moral standing made him a symbol of incorruptible leadership.