苏武牧羊

Pronunciation: sū wǔ mù yáng Literal meaning: Su Wu herds sheep

Origin & Usage

This idiom comes from the biography of Su Wu in the Book of Han (《汉书》, chapter 54). In 100 BCE Su Wu went to the Xiongnu as an envoy of the Han court and was detained when he refused to defect. His captors sent him to the empty shores of Lake Baikal (北海) and told him to herd rams (羝), promising he could go home when the rams gave milk — in other words, never. The history records that he dug up wild rodents and grass seeds to survive, and kept hold of his envoy's staff while herding until all its yak-tail tassels had fallen off (杖汉节牧羊，卧起操持，节旄尽落). He endured about nineteen years before returning to Chang'an. The image of a man and his flock in the snow became the standard emblem of loyalty that hardship cannot bend.

Examples

English: "Through years of setbacks she never abandoned her principles, like Su Wu herding sheep by the frozen lake."

Chinese: 他在异国坚守信念十几年，真可谓苏武牧羊，始终不改初心。