Chinese Idiom: 笑里藏刀 (Xiao Li Cang Dao)
English Translation: A Knife Hidden Behind a Smile
pīn yīn: xiào lǐ cáng dāo
Idiom Meaning: This idiom refers to someone who appears friendly and pleasant on the outside but is actually treacherous and malicious at heart.
Historical Source: The phrase comes from the New Book of Tang (《新唐书》), specifically in the biography of Li Yifu.
Idiom Story:
The New Book of Tang is a historical account of the Tang Dynasty, compiled by the famous Northern Song writer Ouyang Xiu and others, building upon the earlier Old Book of Tang. It serves as an important resource for the study of Tang history.
According to the New Book of Tang, Li Yifu was a man from Raoyang (present-day Raoyang County, Hebei) during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang. He collaborated with Xu Jingzong to promote Wu Zetian as empress, which earned him the emperor’s trust and led to his promotion as prime minister a year later. Despite his outwardly gentle demeanor, described as “soft and courteous, speaking with a smile,” Li Yifu harbored deep-seated jealousy and malice. He would attack and harm anyone who opposed him, earning him the nickname “the one with a knife hidden in his smile.”
The story reveals Li Yifu’s duplicitous nature through various incidents. For instance, when a beautiful woman was imprisoned, he pressured the jailer, Bi Zhengyi, to release her, intending to keep her for himself. When someone reported Bi Zhengyi for this incident without knowing the full story, Li Yifu feigned ignorance, resulting in Bi’s forced suicide.
Shortly thereafter, another local official attempted to investigate the matter, prompting Li Yifu to secretly slander him, which led to the official’s dismissal. These actions revealed Li Yifu’s true character, and the nickname “笑里藏刀” (a knife hidden behind a smile) became widely recognized, symbolizing his treacherous behavior masked by a façade of friendliness.
This idiom serves as a cautionary reminder to be wary of those who might smile while hiding malicious intentions.
