📖 Meaning
To abandon fame and discard profit. It describes a person who voluntarily relinquishes worldly reputation and material gain in pursuit of a higher moral or spiritual ideal. The idiom conveys a spirit of detachment from worldly desires.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Tang dynasty scholar Lu Zhao's (卢肇) inscription 'Stele Inscription for Xinxing Temple in Yizhou' (《宜州新兴寺碑铭》). In the text, Lu Zhao laments that scholars are unable to restrain their desires and greed, and thus cannot leave behind fame and discard profit. The inscription reflects a Buddhist-inspired critique of worldly attachment, urging practitioners to transcend the pursuit of name and gain.
💡 Example Usage
他晚年遗名去利，归隐山林，过着恬淡的生活。
In his later years, he abandoned fame and fortune, retreating to the mountains to live a tranquil life.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 遗名去利
- Pinyin: yí míng qù lì
- Literal Translation: leave behind, name, discard, profit
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4