Chinese Idiom: 怒发冲冠 (Nu Fa Chong Guan)
English Translation: Hair standing on end, pushing the hat off
pīn yīn: nù fà chōng guān
Idiom Meaning: This idiom vividly describes extreme anger, where one’s fury is so intense that it feels like their hair is standing straight up, as if pushing off their hat.
Historical Source: The idiom originates from the patriotic words of Yue Fei, a renowned general of the Southern Song dynasty, in his famous poem Man Jiang Hong (《满江红》).
Idiom Story:
Yue Fei, one of China’s most famous national heroes, dedicated his life to resisting the invading Jurchen (Jin Dynasty) forces during the Southern Song dynasty. After joining the army at the age of twenty, he displayed outstanding military talent, rising through the ranks to become a leading commander. Over the years, he achieved many victories, recovering important cities such as Nanjing and Xiangyang.
In 1136, while returning to Wuchang from a military campaign, Yue Fei and his soldiers encountered heavy rain and took refuge in a nearby temple. After the rain ceased, Yue Fei climbed to the top of a tower and gazed out at the vast, rain-washed landscape. This peaceful moment stirred deep emotions in him, as he thought of his hometown, now under enemy occupation, and his mother, who had once inscribed the words “serve the country with loyalty” on his back. He also recalled the humiliation his country had endured, with its land still in enemy hands and its people suffering under foreign rule.
Overcome by patriotic fervor and a deep sense of frustration at being unable to fully accomplish his mission of restoring the nation’s lost territories, Yue Fei composed the famous patriotic poem Man Jiang Hong. The opening lines are:
怒发冲冠，凭栏处，潇潇雨歇。
抬望眼，仰天长啸，壮怀激烈。
These lines describe his overwhelming anger, symbolized by his hair standing on end and pushing off his hat (“怒发冲冠”). He looks to the sky, expressing his fierce determination to recover the lost lands and avenge his country’s suffering.
The phrase “怒发冲冠” from his poem later became a well-known idiom, used to describe someone filled with righteous anger.
