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死灰复燃 (si3 shui1 fu4 ran2) Dying ashes flare up
August 2, 2009, Sunday
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LIFE is hard to predict. Sometimes, a seemingly set course can take sharp turns. One popular Chinese saying implying such unpredictability is si3 shui1 fu4 ran2, or "dead ashes flare up again."
The phrase was first coined by Han An?guo, an official who lived during the Han Dynasty (206 BC- AD 220).
Han became a favorite aide of King Liang Xiao after he helped suppress a major military revolt.
However, Han was later accused of violating imperial laws and jailed in Mengxian County.
The local magistrate was a vicious man. He thought Han had fallen into disgrace and would never be reinstated in the court, so he often came to visit to make fun of him.
Han, of course, was very angry. One day, Han told the magistrate, "you see me as dead ashes. But are you sure that the dead ashes will never flare up again?"
?No, I?m not,? answered the magistrate. ?But if the dead ashes do flare up, I?ll piss them out.?
Han was deeply insulted, but he was in no position to do anything about it.
Some years later, King Liang Xiao found an opportunity to free Han and appointed him as one of his ministers.
Learning of the news, the Mengxian County magistrate deserted his office and fled to a remote area, fearing that Han would take revenge for the mistreatment he handed out to him while in prison.
After Han spread the word that he might kill all the magistrate's kin if the official didn't turn himself in, the former county chief surrendered to Han.
The new Minister Han recalled their conversation in Mengxian prison and asked the magistrate: "Now, you see the dead ashes are glowing again. Why don't you piss on them?"
The magistrate was so frightened that he kept kowtowing and begging Han to pardon him.
Han told the magistrate to mend his ways and let him go.
Today, the expression si3 shui1 fu4 ran2 has a derogatory connotation. It often indicates the resurgence of some dying evil forces.
The phrase was first coined by Han An?guo, an official who lived during the Han Dynasty (206 BC- AD 220).
Han became a favorite aide of King Liang Xiao after he helped suppress a major military revolt.
However, Han was later accused of violating imperial laws and jailed in Mengxian County.
The local magistrate was a vicious man. He thought Han had fallen into disgrace and would never be reinstated in the court, so he often came to visit to make fun of him.
Han, of course, was very angry. One day, Han told the magistrate, "you see me as dead ashes. But are you sure that the dead ashes will never flare up again?"
?No, I?m not,? answered the magistrate. ?But if the dead ashes do flare up, I?ll piss them out.?
Han was deeply insulted, but he was in no position to do anything about it.
Some years later, King Liang Xiao found an opportunity to free Han and appointed him as one of his ministers.
Learning of the news, the Mengxian County magistrate deserted his office and fled to a remote area, fearing that Han would take revenge for the mistreatment he handed out to him while in prison.
After Han spread the word that he might kill all the magistrate's kin if the official didn't turn himself in, the former county chief surrendered to Han.
The new Minister Han recalled their conversation in Mengxian prison and asked the magistrate: "Now, you see the dead ashes are glowing again. Why don't you piss on them?"
The magistrate was so frightened that he kept kowtowing and begging Han to pardon him.
Han told the magistrate to mend his ways and let him go.
Today, the expression si3 shui1 fu4 ran2 has a derogatory connotation. It often indicates the resurgence of some dying evil forces.
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