It is said of Confucius that,“He did not eat rice which had been injured by heat or damp and turned sour, nor fish or flesh which was past its best. He did not eat what was discolored or what was of a bad flavor, nor anything that was ill-cooked，or was not in season. He did not eat meat which was not cut properly. Nor what was served without its proper sauce. . . He did not partake of wine and dried meat bought in the market. He never used ginger when he ate. he did not eat much.”

However, at one point Confucius himself said“With coarse(grain)to eat, with cold water to drink and my banded arm for a pillow, I can still find joy in the middle of these things.”