📖 Meaning
Fortune and misfortune follow no fixed pattern or rule. The phrase expresses the philosophical view that luck and adversity are unpredictable and constantly shifting, so one should remain composed in both.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Ming dynasty play 'Qin Xin Ji' (《琴心记·长门望月》) by playwright Sun Meixi. In the 'Longmen Watching the Moon' scene, a character consoles Empress Chen of the Han dynasty, who had been banished to the Longmen Palace, telling her that fortune and misfortune are unpredictable, sorrow and joy are unstable, and that if the Emperor one day regrets his decision, she could return in glory — so there is no need for such grief.
💡 Example Usage
世事如棋，祸福无常，唯有坦然面对方能从容应对。
Life is like a chess game, where fortune and misfortune follow no fixed pattern; only by facing them calmly can one respond with composure.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 祸福无常
- Pinyin: huò fú wú cháng
- Literal Translation: misfortune, fortune, no, constancy
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4