Idiom Explanation:
Refers to the temperature is not cold but the body shivered, describe very afraid, fear.
Pronunciation:
不寒而栗
bù hán ér lì
Origin:
西汉·司马迁《史记·酷吏列传》：是日皆报杀四百余人，其后郡中不寒而栗，滑民佐吏为治。
Western Han Dynasty – Sima Qian, “The Records of the Grand Historian – Cool Officials”: This is the day all reported to kill more than 400 people, after the county shuddered, slippery people Zuo official for the rule.
Story:
During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty, there was a man named Yi Zhong. His sister Yi Zhi was a doctor. Because she cured the Empress Dowager’s illness, the Empress Dowager favored her, and Yi Zhong was therefore highly valued by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. He first served as a magistrate in a county in Shangdang County, and was later promoted to a magistrate in Chang’an County. During his tenure, he was able to act in accordance with the law, and was not afraid to offend the powerful people, and the local security was greatly changed. Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty thought he was very talented, so he was reappointed as the captain of Hanoi County, and later promoted to be the governor of Nanyang.
At that time, there was a captain named Ning Cheng who managed the tariff in Nanyang. This man was very brutal and used his power to run amok. The people were afraid of him, and even the officials entering and leaving the customs did not dare to offend him. People said that having Ning Cheng as an official was like giving a pack of sheep to a wolf to manage. When Ning Cheng heard that Yi Zhong was coming to Nanyang to be the governor, he was a little uneasy. On the day when Yi Zhong took office, he led his whole family to stand at the roadside to greet him respectfully. Knowing the purpose of Ning Cheng’s action, Yi Zhong ignored him. As soon as he took office, Yi Zhong sent people to investigate Ning Cheng’s family and killed all those who were found guilty. This time, the famous local tycoons Kong and Tyrannus fled Nanyang in fear because they also had bad deeds.
Later, Emperor Wu of Han transferred Yi Zhong to be the governor of Dingxiang (in present-day Inner Mongolia). At that time, the law and order of this place was very chaotic. As soon as Yi Zhong arrived at Dingxiang, he re-sentenced to death more than 200 prisoners in the prison who had been convicted of felonies and misdemeanors. Historical records say, “On that day, all of them reported killing more than four hundred people, and the county was shuddering afterwards.” It means that on that day, more than four hundred people were killed at once. Even though it was not cold that day, however, people living in the area were shivering with fear when they heard the news.
Similar Idioms:
- 毛骨悚然
- 提心吊胆
- 胆颤心惊
