The origin of the term "iron rice bowl" came from Jǐ Yún's journal, Notes of the Thatched Abode of Close Observations (simplified Chinese: 阅微草堂笔记; traditional Chinese: 閱微草堂筆記; pinyin: Yuèwēi cǎotáng bǐjì): A beautiful maid works in a squire's home. One day, the maid breaks a bowl, but the squire does not punish her because of her beauty. After that, the maid breaks more and more bowls.