📖 Meaning
Literally describes a husband carrying provisions on his back and a wife carrying utensils on her head as they flee together. It metaphorically refers to a married couple abandoning worldly fame and fortune to live in seclusion and lead a simple, reclusive life.
📜 Origin Story
According to the Han Dynasty work 'Biographies of Exemplary Women' (列女传) by Liu Xiang, during the Spring and Autumn period the madman of Chu, Jieyu, farmed his own land for a living. The King of Chu sent envoys to recruit him to govern Huainan, but Jieyu only smiled and did not respond. His wife reasoned that disobeying a royal command would be disloyal, yet complying would violate righteousness. Therefore the husband carried cooking vessels on his back, the wife bore weaving implements on her head, they changed their names, and fled to parts unknown.
💡 Example Usage
他们看透官场腐败，夫负妻戴，隐居深山过着清贫的日子。
Having seen through the corruption of officialdom, they fled with the husband carrying their belongings and the wife bearing her share, retreating to the deep mountains to live a life of humble simplicity.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 夫负妻戴
- Pinyin: fū fù qī dài
- Literal Translation: husband carries on back, wife carries on head
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4