📖 Meaning
Xianyang was the capital of the Qin Dynasty, and 'jù' refers to a torch or fire. The phrase describes the great fire set by Xiang Yu when he burned down the Qin palaces after capturing Xianyang. It is now used metaphorically to mean destroying everything in a single conflagration.
📜 Origin Story
After the fall of the Qin Dynasty, the warlord Xiang Yu led his army westward into the capital city of Xianyang. He massacred the inhabitants, killed the surrendered Qin ruler Ziying, and set fire to the Qin palaces. According to the 'Records of the Grand Historian' (Shiji), the blaze raged for three months without going out. This dramatic act of destruction became immortalized as 'the torch of Xianyang.'
💡 Example Usage
张钟山欲借咸阳一炬，了此业障。
Zhang Zhongshan wished to borrow the torch of Xianyang to put an end to this karmic burden.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 咸阳一炬
- Pinyin: xián yáng yī jǔ
- Literal Translation: Xianyang, one, torch
- Category: Destruction
- Characters: 4