Chinese Idiom: 得意忘形 (De Yi Wang Xing)
English Translation: Delight causes forgetfulness of form
pīn yīn: dé yì wàng xíng
Idiom Meaning: Refers to losing one’s composure due to overwhelming joy or excitement.
Historical Source: From “Book of Jin” (《晋书 · 阮籍传》).
Idiom Story:
During the Three Kingdoms period, there was a literary figure and philosopher named Ruan Ji, also known as Ruan Buping, from Weishi County in present-day Henan Province. He served as a captain in the infantry and was well-known for his literary prowess, being on par with the famous scholar Ji Kang. Ruan Ji and Ji Kang, along with five others, formed a close-knit group that frequently gathered under bamboo groves to drink wine and compose poetry, later known as the “Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove.”
Ruan Ji loved reading and was both a poet and a writer. He was free-spirited and disregarded trivial matters. At times, he would stay at home to read for months without stepping outside, while at other times, he would venture out and be gone for ten days or more. Philosophically, he adhered to the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi, believing that “heaven and earth arise from nature, and all things arise from heaven and earth.” He held a contempt for Confucian rituals and customs, often using drunkenness as a means to scorn the “ritualistic scholars,” thereby preserving his individuality amidst the complex struggles of the time.
As a result, he would frequently indulge in drinking, and “when he felt joyful, he would suddenly forget his appearance,” leading people to say he was foolish. This means that whenever he experienced happiness, he would behave wildly and even lose awareness of himself, which is why people regarded him as eccentric.
