Explanation: Metaphor in adversity difficult to maintain moral integrity in the people. Usage: Partial official; as object; with compliment Source: Pre Confucius "The Analects of Confucius Zaihan": "cold of winter, and then withered after the known pine also." Examples: Tang Liu Yuxi, "will go way out of Yu Chau Chun Li Xiang Gong under the Chang speech": "Then wealth has been scattered, ~ still remains."
Thesaurus: pine and cypress (literally) the last (among plants) to wither--the perseverance of a person in his virtuous