The meaning of up and down shall be understood in context: shang xia wen ( up down writing). Sometimes they indicate high and low in a hierarchical society, like the phrase shang shang xia xia ( up up down down) means everyone throughout all different levels.

If a leader sets a good/bad example, his subordinates will follow suit: shang xing xia xiao ( up acts down follows). So when we mean the poison seeps downwards from top, we say shang liang bu zheng xia liang wai ( the upper beam not straight the lower beam aslant). Some subordinates will attempt to get around the policies of their superiors shang you zheng ce, xia you dui ce ( up has policy, down has countermeasure).

As far as an individual person is concerned, a typical Chinese midlife is marked by shang you lao, xia you xiao ( up has old, down has small - have to support senior parents and young kids).

(China Daily 04/11/2007 page15)