📖 Meaning
To cease military activities and prioritize cultural and educational development. It describes a state policy or philosophical stance of peace and civil advancement over martial expansion.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the 'Book of Wei' (《魏书》), in the biography of Prince Xianyang (咸阳王禧). The passage critiques the Northern Wei dynasty's prolonged policy of abandoning military readiness in favor of civil administration. It laments that provincial soldiers, though naturally brave, had become unskilled in martial arts due to the dynasty's long-standing emphasis on cultural pursuits over military training.
💡 Example Usage
新朝建立后，统治者偃武崇文，大兴文教。
After the new dynasty was established, the rulers ceased military expansion and promoted culture, vigorously developing education.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 偃武崇文
- Pinyin: yǎn wǔ chóng wén
- Literal Translation: cease, military, promote, culture
- Category: Leadership
- Characters: 4