庆历元年(1041年)，包拯南下岭南出任端州知府。端州自古以来以其端砚闻名于天下，而当时端州官场盛行以给朝廷进贡的名义征收数十倍的端砚来“孝敬”上级官员，以求来日上头有人好做官。包拯到任后，一心只为减轻百姓负担，下令只许征收进贡数量的端砚，禁止多征一个，自断历来这条“升官捷径”机会。包拯以身作则，任职3年，两袖清风，“岁满不持一砚归”。

In the first year of Qingli (1041), Bao Zheng went south to Lingnan to serve as the governor of Duanzhou, renowned for its Duan Inkstones since ancient times. At that time, it was prevalent among Duanzhou officials to bribe superior officials by collecting dozens of times the amount of Duan Inkstones in the name of paying tribute to the court, making it easier for them to get promoted in the future. After Bao Zheng took office, he was dedicated to relieving the burden of the people, ordered to levy only the number of tribute Duan Inkstones and prohibited the collection of any additional one, thus terminating the long existing promotion shortcut for local officials. Bao Zheng set a good example and served for three years without any corruption. When his term of office there was over, he left without any Duan Inkstone in possession.