In Yongzhou there were many good swimmers. One day, the river swelled suddenly. Braving the danger, about half a dozen people started across in a small boat.
While they were still in midstream, the boat capsized. Whereupon, they started to swim. One, though using his arms vigorously, seemed to make small progress.
”You’re a better swimmer than any of us, why are you lagging behind?” asked his companions.
“I have a thousand coins tied around my loin,” said the man.
“Why don’t you throw them away?” urged the others.
He made no answer, shaking his head, although he was clearly in difficulties.
The others reached the shore and shouted out to him: “Off with the coins, you fool! What’s the use of the money to you when you are drowning?”
Still the man shook his head. In a few moments he was drowned.
Allegorical Meaning
This is a story from the Collected Works of Liu Hedaong, recounts a man who drowns while clinging to his heavy moneybag, refusing to let go even as he sinks. This short but powerful fable serves as a poignant warning about the dangers of greed, attachment, and the misplaced value of material wealth.
Greed Leads to Self-Destruction
The man drowns not because he cannot swim, but because he refuses to let go of his money. This illustrates how greed can cloud judgment and lead people to make irrational decisions with fatal consequences.
Attachment to Wealth Is Dangerous
It suggests that material possessions can become burdens, especially when one values them more than life itself.
Wealth vs. Wisdom
True wealth, the story implies, lies not in money, but in the ability to make wise choices — especially in moments of crisis.
People often cling to outdated beliefs, toxic relationships, or harmful habits — just like the man clinging to his coins. In business, politics, and personal life, letting go — of ego, control, or unnecessary burdens — is often the key to survival and growth.
Letting go is not weakness — it is wisdom. And sometimes, it is the only way to stay afloat.
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