one 's human exterior conceals the nature of a wolf

one 's human exterior conceals the nature of a wolf

Human face and animal heart, Chinese idiom, Pinyin is R é NMI à NSH à UX à n, which means that although the face is human, but the heart is as fierce as a beast. Describe people as cruel and mean. From Liezi Huangdi.

Idiom usage

It refers to a person's conduct. A big worm dares not hurt when he sees "animal face and heart". If he sees "human face and heart", he will not eat it. The tenth chapter of Li Ruzhen's Jing Hua Yuan in Qing Dynasty

The origin of Idioms

Liezi Huangdi: "Xia Jie, Yin Zhou, Lu Xing, Chu mu, all have the same appearance and seven orifices as human beings, but have the heart of animals." "Han Dynasty · Xiongnu zhuanzan" said: "be left Ren, human face and beast heart."

Idioms and allusions

Yang Zhu was a famous philosopher in the Warring States period. Once he invited Laozi to his home and asked him for advice respectfully. When Laozi saw that he was sincere, he told him such a truth: we should not only look at people's appearance, but also look at their inner feelings. It's easy to be confused by them just looking at their appearance. Therefore, sages do not pay attention to appearance but pay attention to mind, but ordinary people can't do it. If you look at people, as long as they have bodies, hands, feet, hair and teeth, you say they are human, but they may have an animal heart. As like as two peas, he will be close to him. He will be close to him. Those wings, horns, claws, flying and jumping are animals, but animals may not have a heart. Although they have hearts, but they do not look like people, you will still be far away from them. In the past, the Fuxi, Nuwa, Shennong and Xiahou families were all snake body, human face, ox head and tiger nose. They had no human appearance, but they had supreme virtue. Xia Jie, Yin Zhou, Lu Huan and Chu Mu are all the same in shape and appearance as human beings, but they have the heart of animals. If people only look at their appearance and think that they have virtue, aren't they deceived? The mind of animals is similar to that of human beings. For example, they can find food to eat, mate males and females, mate mother and son, avoid enemies, avoid cold and warm, live in groups, walk in rows, young people live inside, strong people live outside, look for food to help, and cry when they are killed But animals are far less intelligent than human beings, so human beings can use them. In the time of Emperor Huang and Emperor Yan, they let bear, wolf and leopard fight on the battlefield, and let eagle and kite help to attack the enemy. This is the result of taming animals with strength. Emperor Yao is different. He uses music to make all animals dance. He uses Xiao and flute to make phoenix come to instrument and birds sing. These are all the sacred places of ancient people. Only when they know the modality of all things and the voice of different kinds, can they tame them, and only saints can do it! Yang Zhu benefited a lot from Lao Tzu's words and admired him even more.