📖 Meaning
To find spiritual purpose and material security in life. '立命' means having one's spirit anchored and purpose established, while '安身' means having a place to live and means of support. Together it describes being settled both inwardly and outwardly.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase traces to the Song dynasty Buddhist text 'Jingde Chuandeng Lu' (Record of the Transmission of the Lamp), compiled by the monk Shi Daoyuan. In volume ten, a monk asks his master, 'When the student does not rely on any ground, what then?' The master replies, 'Where do you settle your body and establish your life?' The dialogue uses the phrase to point toward finding one's true ground of being. Over time it entered common usage to denote having both livelihood and peace of mind.
💡 Example Usage
他在异乡打拼多年，终于有了立命安身之处。
After years of striving in a foreign land, he finally found a place to settle down and establish his life.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 立命安身
- Pinyin: lì mìng ān shēn
- Literal Translation: establish, destiny, settle, body
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4