"If the water is clear, there will be no fish, and if people observe it, there will be no disciples." What do you mean?

Interpretation: If the water is too clear, fish can't survive. If you are too strict with others, you won't have a partner. Now it is sometimes used to mean not to ask too much of people or things.

Source: "Clear water means no fish, and people look at it without disciples" —— Zhang Ziwen's Official Seal in Li Ji, Dai Dai

This sentence has always been used as a way, a commandment to warn people. People are too smart, too concerned about gains and losses, too perfect and harsh, with few friends and falling apart from others.

Boyi, a representative figure who extended information to observation points, had no disciples.

Boyi was a native of Zhuguo in the late Shang Dynasty and a descendant of Qi in the Yin and Shang Dynasties. Bo Yi is very lofty and strict with others and himself. He disdains to associate with the wicked among princes and ministers. Later, he was dissatisfied with Zhou Wuwang's behavior of waging war at his father's funeral and seizing the throne by violence. He thought King Wu's behavior insulted the word "benevolence and righteousness", so he refused to eat Zhou Su and starved to death. Mencius once commented that Boyi was an expert.

Refer to Baidu Encyclopedia-Mencius Gongsun Chou