S5E04 | The Wood Man
Saying: “Body made of wood, heart made of stone”
Pinyin: Mù Rén Shí Xīn
Chinese: 木人石心
The CSP is back with another good one coming to us courtesy of the Book of Jin. 木人石心 Mù Rén Shí Xīn. This story features real-life historical person Jia Chong, a high-up official in the Jin Dynasty and a long-time crony of the royal Sima Family. This is a good idiom to describe people who are principled and cannot be bought. No amount of temptation can lead them to stray from their mission.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Western Jin Dynasty | 西晋 | The Western Jin Dynasty 265-317 |
| Cháng’ān | 长安 | Present-day Xian, ancient capital of many kingdoms and dynasties going back to the Zhou era. |
| Sīmǎ Family | 司马家族 | The ruling family of the Jin Dynasty |
| Chéngyǔ | 成语 | A Chinese Saying or idiom |
| Jìn Shū | 晋书 | The Book of Jin, one of the Official Twenty-Four Histories |
| Tàizōng Emperor | 唐太宗 | Tang Emperor who reigned 626-649 |
| Yǐnyìliè Zhuàn | 隐逸列传 | A chapter from the Book of Song 宋书 |
| Jiǎ Chōng | 贾充 | 217-282, major politician during Three Kingdoms and Western Jin. Very close ally of the Sima Family |
| Cáo Wèi | 曹魏 | The most powerful of the Three Kingdomns, established as a dynasty in 220 by the son of Cao Cao, Cao Pi |
| Sīmǎ Yán | 司马炎 | 236-290, Emperor Wu of Jin, grandson of Sima Yi |
| Jiǎ Nánfēng | 贾南风 | 257-300, Empress Consort and first wife of Jin Emperor Hui. The War of the Eight Princes was blamed on her intervention in Jin court politics. Also known as Empress Jia |
| Gǒu Wèi Xù Diāo | 狗尾续貂 | A dog's tail joined to a sable - a wretched sequel to a fine work (of literature) |
| Emperor Huì | 晋惠帝 | Sima Zhong, who reigned 290-307 as the second emperor of the Wester Jin |
| Mù Rén Shí Xīn | 木人石心 | Someone who can be described as "wooden" and with a "Stone heart" |
| Mù | 木 | Wood |
| Rén | 人 | Person |
| Shí | 石 | Stone, rock |
| Xīn | 心 | Heart |
| Xià Tǒng | 夏统 | The hero of today's story. |
| Xiāoshān | 萧山区 | An area of present-day Hángzhōu |
| Hángzhōu | 杭州 | Ancient southern Chinese capital for several dynasties. Today the capital of Zhejiang Province |
| Luò River | 洛河 | The river that runs through the center of Luoyang |
| Luòyáng | 洛阳 | Historic city in Henan Province that served as the capital of many dynasties |
| Zhèjiāng province | 浙江省 | Province on the east coast of China |
| Cáo É | 曹娥 | 130-143, a girl who died trying to protect her father from drowning in 143. |
| Sòng Dynasty | 宋朝 | Dynasty that lasted in the north and south from 960-1279 |
| Xiánfēng Emperor | 咸丰 | Qing emperor who reigned 1850-1861 |
