Chinese Idiom: 雷厉风行 (Lei Li Feng Xing)
English Translation: Thunderous and Swift Action
pīn yīn: léi lì fēng xíng
Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes the strictness and rapidity with which policies and laws are implemented or characterizes a decisive and proactive approach to matters.
Historical Source: From Han Yu’s “Letter to the Emperor” (《潮州刺史谢上表》) during the Tang Dynasty.
Idiom Story:
In the Tang Dynasty, the renowned writer Han Yu served as the Deputy Minister of Personnel. He opposed Emperor Xianzong’s decision to welcome the relics of Buddha, which led to his demotion to the position of governor of Chaozhou. Upon taking office, he wrote a letter to Emperor Xianzong, expressing his gratitude for the emperor’s generosity in his treatment and lauding the emperor’s leadership. In his letter, he praised Emperor Xianzong, saying that since taking the throne, he had personally listened to judgments, effectively turning the tides of fortune, and had decisively opened and closed doors of governance, acting with the authority and urgency akin to “thunder and wind.”
Over time, the phrase “雷厉风飞” evolved into the idiom “雷厉风行,” which captures the essence of his praise for the emperor’s decisive and efficient governance.
