S7E05 | I Carry the Burden and the Shame
Saying: “To endure humiliation as part of an important mission”
Pinyin: Rěn Rǔ Fù Zhòng
Chinese: 忍 辱负重
We've reached the midway point in Season 7 with this exciting Chinese Saying from the Record of the Three Kingdoms. The backstory for this chengyu concerns the aftermath of the killing of Guan Yu by the forces of Eastern Wu. The star of this tale is Lu Xun 陆逊 (not 鲁迅). Sun Quan entrusted Lu Xun with an all-important mission. And from this mission to defeat Liu Bei came the saying 忍 辱负重 Rěn Rǔ Fù Zhòng. Sometimes even when you're right, you must suffer ridicule and mockery for the sake of a higher mission that's not yet ripe for execution.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Chéngyǔ | 成语 | A Chinese Saying or idiom |
| Táo Yuán Jié Yì. | 桃园结义 | The Peach Orchard Pact of Brotherhood |
| Shǔ Hàn | 蜀汉 | One of the Three Kingdoms, located in China's Southwest. It was led by Liu Bei |
| Cáo Wèi | 曹魏 | One of the Three Kingdoms, located in China's North. It was led by Cao Cao |
| Eastern Wú | 东吴 | One of the Three Kingdoms, located in China's East. It was led by Sun Quan |
| Rěn Rǔ Fù Zhòng | 忍辱负重 | Endure humiliation in order to carry out an important mission, suffer in silence |
| Rěn | 忍 | To bear, endure; put up with |
| rǔ | 辱 | Disgrace, to dishonor |
| Fù | 负 | To carry on the back or shoulder |
| Zhòng | 重 | important, weighty |
| Sān Guó Zhì | 三国志 | The Records of The Three Kingdoms, |
| Wú Shū | 吴书 | The Book of Wu from the Record of the Three Kingdoms |
| The Life of Lù Xùn | 陆逊转 | The chapter from the Book of Wu from which this story takes place |
| Lù Xùn | 陆逊 | 183-245, Military general, politiciuan of Eastern Wu |
| Lǔ | 鲁 | The character for the 20th century literary great, Lu Xun 鲁迅 |
| Cáo Cāo | 曹操 | 155-220, Statesman, warlord, poet. Served as Grand Chancellor at the end of the Eastern Han. He led the Kingdom of Wei in China's north and Central Plain |
| Sūn Quán | 孙权 | 182-252, founder of the Eastern Wu Dynasty. Younger brother of Sun Ce |
| Líu Bèi | 刘备 | 161-223, founder of the state of Shu Han, one of the Three Kingdoms |
| Jīngzhōu | 荆州 | Ancient China was divided up into nine provinces, Jing Province among them. It was located ion today's Hubei-Hunan area |
| Guān Yǔ | 关羽 | Died 220, one of Liu Bei's main military generals, and a sworn brother as well |
| Xiāngyáng | 襄阳 | Today’s Hubei’s second largest city, located in the north of the province |
| Zhūgě Liàng | 诸葛亮 | 181-234, Chinese statesman and military strategist. He served under Liu Bei in the Kingdom of Shu Han |
| Sūn Cè | 孙策 | 175-200, Chinese military general and warlord who established a power base in the Jiangdong 江东 region in present day Jiangsu-Zhejiang |
| Sūn Huán | 孙欢 | Wu general and a nephew of Sun Quan |
| Yídào | 夷道 | City in Hubei on the other side of the Yangzi from Yichang 宜昌 |
| Yílǐng | 夷陵 | City in Hubei on the other side of the Yangzi from Yidao 宜昌 |
| Báidì City | 白帝城 | The city, in today's Chongqing municipality, where Liu Bei retired to after his defeat |
