Chinese Idiom: 推心置腹 (Tui Xin Zhi Fu)
English Translation: tuī xīn zhì fù
pīn yīn: tuī xīn zhì fù
Idiom Meaning: To treat others with sincerity and trust; to be open-hearted and genuine.
Historical Source: From the “Book of the Later Han” (《后汉书·光武帝纪上》).
Idiom Story:
In the year 17 AD, a severe famine struck the Jingzhou area in northwest Hubei Province, leading the starving populace to raise the banner of revolt against the dark rule of Wang Mang. They established a base in the Green Forest Mountains (present-day northeast of Zhongxiang City, Hubei) and formed a significant rebel force known as the Green Forest Army.
A few years later, Liu Xuan and Liu Xiu, relatives of the Han dynasty, also took up arms against Wang Mang’s regime and joined the Green Forest Army. In 23 AD, the peasant leaders supported Liu Xuan as emperor. During this time, Liu Xiu achieved multiple military victories, and Liu Xuan appointed him as the General of Breaking the Enemy and sent him to Hebei to expand their power and pacify the people.
Upon arriving in Hebei, Liu Xiu learned of a fortune-teller named Wang Lang, who was impersonating a descendant of the Han royal family and had self-proclaimed himself as emperor, gathering troops to build a significant force. Liu Xiu quickly united local armies to eliminate this faction.
After defeating Wang Lang’s forces, Liu Xiu discovered correspondence among some county officials and wealthy families that praised Wang Lang while slandering Liu Xiu. However, he deemed it a thing of the past and, after briefly glancing through the documents, he burned them in front of his generals. This act won him tremendous support, and many came to trust Liu Xiu even more. In recognition of Liu Xiu’s achievements, Liu Xuan promoted him to the title of King of Xiao.
In 24 AD, Liu Xiu defeated another peasant uprising led by a faction called the Copper Horse, whose hundreds of thousands of troops surrendered to him. Liu Xiu appointed many of the surrendered leaders to official positions. However, some of these newly incorporated officials and soldiers remained apprehensive, fearing that Liu Xiu would not genuinely trust them. To reassure them, Liu Xiu requested that they return to their respective camps, still leading their original forces. He then rode alone on a horse, visiting each camp one by one.
During these visits, he inquired about their well-being and showed genuine concern. The soldiers were deeply moved and began to discuss among themselves, saying, “King Xiao has pushed his sincere heart into our bellies; how could we not be willing to go through fire and water for him?” This means that Liu Xiu was sincere and genuine in his treatment of others, making them feel valued and trusted, thus encouraging their loyalty and commitment to him.
