Ignorance at night

Ignorance at night

The Chinese idiom, Pinyin is m ù y è w ú zh ī, originally refers to things done at night, no one knows. Later generations used it as a metaphor for bribery in secret. From biographies of Yang Zhen in the book of the later Han Dynasty

Idioms and allusions

Original allusion

Yang zhennian more than 50 years, tired moved to Jingzhou Cishi, Donglai Taishou. When the county, the road through Changyi, so Jingzhou maocai wangmi for Changyi order, night Huaijin ten jin to earthquake. Earthquake said: "old friends know you, you don't know old friends, why?" Secret said: "there is no one who knows at night." Zhen said: "heaven knows, God knows, I know, son knows, what is a person without knowledge!" He came out in shame.

Translation of allusions

Yang Zhen was born in Huayin in the Eastern Han Dynasty. He taught students for a living. He was upright and learned. He was known as "guanxi Confucius". In his fifties, Yang Zhen was forced to become an official. He went to Donglai to be the prefect. When he passed Changyi, Shandong Province, Wang MI, a scholar he had recommended before, happened to be the magistrate of Changyi. Wang Mi came to give Yang Zhen ten jin of gold at night. Yang Zhen said, "I know you well. Why do you know nothing about me?" Wang Mi said, "don't worry. No one knows about it in the middle of the night." Yang Zhen said: "heaven knows, earth knows, I know, you know, how can we say that no one knows?" Wang MI is very ashamed.

The origin of Idioms

According to the biography of Yang Zhen in the book of the later Han Dynasty, "the king of maocai in Jingzhou was appointed as the order of Changyi. Zhen said: "old friends know you, but you don't know old friends. Why?" The secret says, "there is no one who knows at night." Zhen said: "heaven knows, God knows, I know, son knows. What is ignorance? "

Idiom usage

It means to do things in secret and no one knows it. It's just that each of them cherishes his old kindness and is convinced of his previous knowledge. He uses emotion, steals power and shows his shame. Ling Mengchu, Ming Dynasty (Volume 33)