Chinese Idiom: 始终不渝 (Shi Zhong Bu Yu)
English Translation: Unwavering from beginning to end
pīn yīn: shǐ zhōng bù yú
Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes a steadfast commitment to principles, aspirations, or promises that remains unchanged from the beginning to the end.
Historical Source: “Book of Jin” (《晋书》), specifically in the biography of Xie An (谢安).
Idiom Story:
Xie An was a well-known figure in his youth, and when the governor of Yangzhou, Yu Bing, earnestly invited him to take up an official position, he reluctantly accepted. However, after serving for just over a month, he returned home. Despite several subsequent offers of government positions from the imperial court, he consistently refused to serve, choosing instead to live a secluded life in Dongshan (modern-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang) and aspiring to the integrity of a recluse.
Eventually, Xie An accepted a government appointment and rose to high office, but his longing for the quiet, noble life of a recluse in Dongshan never faded. The biography states: “Though An accepted the court’s appointments, his aspiration for Dongshan remained unchanged from beginning to end.” The phrase “始末不渝” directly reflects this steadfastness and has since become an idiom to express unwavering dedication.
