📖 Meaning
To defecate on a Buddha statue's head. Metaphorically, it means to defile or desecrate something sacred, beautiful, or precious. It is often used to describe adding something vulgar or unworthy to an already fine work.
📜 Origin Story
From the Song Dynasty text 'Jingde Chuandeng Lu' (景德传灯录) compiled by the monk Shishi Daoyuan. It records that Minister Cui visited a temple and saw birds defecating on the Buddha statue's head. He asked the Zen master whether birds also possess Buddha-nature, and the master replied that they do. When Cui asked why they would then defecate on the Buddha's head, the master countered: 'Why don't they do it on the hawk's head?' The dialogue illustrates a Zen perspective on the natural behavior of all sentient beings.
💡 Example Usage
这首佳作被他加上庸俗注解，简直是佛头著粪。
Adding vulgar annotations to this fine work is truly like defecating on a Buddha's head.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 佛头著粪
- Pinyin: fó tóu zhuó fèn
- Literal Translation: Buddha, head, deposit, dung
- Category: Action
- Characters: 4