📖 Meaning
To reverse a desperate situation and turn the tide through sheer willpower or extraordinary effort. It shares the same origin as the idiom 'Lu Yang Hui Ge' (Lu Yang waving his halberd at the sun). The phrase evokes the image of making the impossible happen through determination.
📜 Origin Story
The story originates from the Huainanzi (淮南子), a text compiled during the Western Han dynasty under Liu An. Lu Yang (鲁阳), a lord of the state of Chu during the Warring States period, was engaged in a fierce battle that dragged on until sunset. Unwilling to let dusk end the fight, he raised his weapon and struck at the setting sun, which miraculously retreated three celestial mansions, prolonging the daylight so he could secure victory. The tale became a symbol of human willpower capable of altering the natural order.
💡 Example Usage
面对公司濒临破产的危机，他凭借过人的胆识鲁阳回日，终于扭转了局面。
Facing the company's imminent bankruptcy, he displayed the determination of Lu Yang turning back the sun and finally reversed the situation.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 鲁阳回日
- Pinyin: lǔ yáng huí rì
- Literal Translation: Lu, Yang, return, sun
- Category: Recovery
- Characters: 4