📖 Meaning
The Jinwu was the official responsible for guarding the capital city during the Qin and Han dynasties. The idiom originally referred to the Lantern Festival, when the night curfew was lifted for three days so people could view lanterns all night. It now broadly means there is no night curfew and people may come and go freely around the clock.
📜 Origin Story
During the Tang dynasty, Wei Xu recorded in his Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital that the streets of the capital were patrolled by Jinwu officials who called out at dawn and dusk to prohibit night travel. However, an imperial decree permitted the Jinwu to relax the curfew on the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, along with one day before and after, allowing citizens to enjoy the lantern displays throughout the night. This practice gave rise to the idiom, which later came to signify the absence of any night restriction.
💡 Example Usage
元宵佳节，金吾不禁，满城灯火辉煌。
On Lantern Festival night the curfew was lifted, and the whole city blazed with brilliant lanterns.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 金吾不禁
- Pinyin: jīn wú bù jìn
- Literal Translation: Jinwu (capital guard official), not, forbid
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4