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Yating Yang

In China, the term “iron rooster” describes someone who is extremely stingy and originates from a bizarre Qing dynasty (1644–1912) tale about a wealthy man so greedy that he would not even spend money to find a concubine.
The rooster symbolises fidelity and protection for Chinese people and is often seen as a guardian that wards off evil spirits and heralds new beginnings.
It is also the 10th animal in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle.
However, in today’s China, the widely used term refers to someone who is extremely stingy and unwilling to part with even the smallest amount of money.

The expression comes from a popular folk saying: “From an iron rooster, not even a feather can be plucked”.
While the exact origin is difficult to trace, one of the most famous anecdotes comes from the Qing dynasty poet Yuan Mei.
According to his book, in Jinan, Shandong province, eastern China, there was once a wealthy man known not only for his fortune but also for his extreme stinginess.
His behaviour was so notorious that locals called him “iron rooster”.

One day, the man decided to take a concubine but set a harsh condition: she had to be extraordinarily beautiful, yet he would only offer the bare minimum bride price.
A local matchmaker soon introduced a woman who agreed to these terms, asking only for basic food and clothing. The rich man, overjoyed by this astonishing bargain, quickly welcomed her into his home.
However, the scenario turned out to be a carefully orchestrated trap.
Six months later, when the rich man went to check his most valuable treasures as usual, he discovered the vault was empty.
After a thorough interrogation, he finally discovered that his newly taken concubine was, in fact, one of his former tenants.
Back then, he accused her of being wasteful and causing unnecessary trouble.
The woman later agreed to become his concubine without demanding any bride price solely to take revenge.
Over time, she secretly stole all the gold and silver he had accumulated, stripping him of every bit of his wealth.

The term “iron rooster” is also reinforced by other folk tales.
For instance, a man refused to donate even two feathers from his chicken to help a sick villager make medicine.
Instead, he insisted the family buy the entire rooster at an exorbitant price, leading the villagers to permanently label his fowl an iron rooster.
In China, the term has also been borrowed by the capital market.
It specifically refers to publicly listed companies that deliberately refuse to distribute dividends to shareholders for several consecutive years, highlighting their financial stinginess.


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While rooster symbolises fidelity, protection for Chinese people, the roots of this expression lie in an ancient theft, inspired by revenge


While rooster symbolises fidelity, protection for Chinese people, the roots of this expression lie in an ancient theft, inspired by revenge.


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Explainer | Why Chinese term ‘iron rooster’ refers to stinginess; what’s wealthy man’s concubine link?

While rooster symbolises fidelity, protection for Chinese people, the roots of this expression lie in an ancient theft, inspired by revenge