Chinese Idiom: 归马放牛 (Gui Niu Fang Ma)
English Translation: Return horses to the mountains
pīn yīn: guī mǎ fàng niú
Idiom Meaning: This idiom is used to signify that a period of war has ended and peace has been restored.
Historical Source: Book of Documents (《尚书·武成》).
Idiom Story:
After the defeat of King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty by King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty, King Wu sought to signal that the era of warfare was over and that it was time to focus on governance, culture, and peace.
King Wu chose to study and adapt the administrative and educational practices from the Shang Dynasty that could be beneficial for his own rule. To emphasize his commitment to peace, he also released the horses and cattle that had been used in the military campaigns. He allowed them to roam freely on the southern slopes of Mount Hua and the fields in Taoyuan. This act symbolized the end of military activities and the return to a peaceful, stable society.
The idiom “归马放牛” thus came to represent the conclusion of warfare and the establishment of tranquility and order in the realm.
