📖 Meaning
Refers to the punishment incurred by acting against the natural order or laws of heaven. It describes the consequences that befall those who violate the inherent principles of nature. The term originates from Daoist philosophy, where going against one's natural endowment is seen as a transgression deserving of cosmic retribution.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the chapter 'Yang Sheng Zhu' (Nourishing the Lord of Life) in the Zhuangzi, a foundational Daoist text by the Warring States period philosopher Zhuang Zhou. In the passage, Zhuangzi discusses the death of Laozi and critiques those who grieve excessively, weeping and wailing at funerals. He argues that such behavior escapes the natural order, forgets what one has received from heaven, and is what the ancients called 'the punishment of fleeing heaven.' The term thus encapsulates the Daoist view that resisting the natural cycle of life and death brings its own suffering.
💡 Example Usage
违背自然规律者，终将遭受遁天之刑。
Those who go against the natural order will ultimately suffer the punishment of defying heaven.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 遁天之刑
- Pinyin: dùn tiān zhī xíng
- Literal Translation: flee, heaven, 's, punishment
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4