📖 Meaning
Refers to crooked and wicked customs or practices that cause harm to people. The phrase originates from the legend of He Bo, the River God, who was said to cause floods and demand sacrifices. It is used metaphorically to describe corrupt trends and evil practices that bring suffering to the common people.
📜 Origin Story
During the Warring States period, in the state of Wei, the county of Ye suffered under a cruel superstition that the River God (河伯, He Bo) of the Yellow River demanded a young bride as sacrifice each year. Corrupt shamans and local officials exploited this belief to extort money from the common people, bringing great suffering to the region. Ximen Bao (西门豹), appointed as magistrate by Marquis Wen of Wei, cleverly exposed the fraud by ordering the shamans themselves thrown into the river to report to the River God, thereby ending the practice. This story is recorded in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian (史记·滑稽列传). Over time, the phrase evolved to describe evil customs and corrupt practices that harm society.
💡 Example Usage
那地方河伯为患，百姓苦不堪言。
Evil practices ran rampant in that region, and the common people suffered bitterly.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 河伯为患
- Pinyin: hé bó wéi huàn
- Literal Translation: River God, acts as, disaster
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4