It is said that in the state of Qi, there lived a man named Dongguo Chang, whose greed knew no bounds. He constantly dreamed of amassing a great fortune—ten thousand taels of gold.
His disciples pleaded with him:
“If you ever obtain such wealth, please share a portion with us to relieve our hardships.”
Dongguo Chang replied:
“I need that gold to secure an official post!”
Hearing this, the disciples grew disgusted by his stinginess. In anger, they abandoned him and left for the state of Song.
Allegorical Meaning
The Toxicity of Hypothetical Greed
Dongguo’s refusal to “spend” imaginary gold reveals a pathological fixation on future gains at the expense of present stability. His greed for unrealized wealth destroys real relationships.
Leadership as Resource Allocation
The disciples represent vital human capital. By hoarding even what he did not yet possess, he lost what he already had. Had he promised his disciples, they would have stayed and served him faithfully.
Pragmatic leaders leverage promises to mobilize resources, even when fulfillment depends on uncertain futures.
The Cost of Broken Social Contracts
His disciples’ plea establishes a tacit contract: loyalty in exchange for future support. Dongguo’s rejection exposes his failure to grasp that power requires nurturing alliances.
Greed as Self-Sabotage
Dongguo’s tragedy stems not from lacking gold, but from prioritizing greed over governance logic.
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