Gentleman on the Roof Beam 梁上君子 liáng shàng jūn zǐ 梁 (liáng) - roof beam 上 (shàng) - on 君子 (jūn zǐ) - gentleman In the Eastern Han dynasty, Chén Shí noticed a thief hiding in his rafters. Instead of punishing him, he told his family: “People aren’t born bad, they become that way by habit.” He called the thief ‘the gentleman on the roof beam.’ The thief was moved. He jumped down and begged for forgiveness. So today, this is a sly, poetic way to say… thief. Follow for Daily Chinese Much love Beiji