to separate the bones and use them as fire-wood in famine(xī hái yǐ cuàn)

to separate the bones and use them as fire-wood in famine

As a Chinese idiom, Pinyin is x ī h á iy ǐ Cu à n, which means the plight of being surrounded for a long time and the lack of food and firewood. It also describes the miserable life of the people in the period of war or famine. It comes from Zuo Zhuan, the 15th year of Xuangong.

The origin of Idioms

In the 15th year of Xuangong in Zuozhuan, it is said: I will change my son and eat, and dissect the skeleton to Cuan.

Idiom usage

As a predicate or attribute; used in life. Example: it's not the loss of education to die in the festival. It's not the original feeling to analyze the skeleton. New book of the Tang Dynasty biography of Li Han

Idiom story

During the spring and Autumn period, King Zhuang of Chu attacked the capital of song because the state of song killed Shen Zhou, an envoy of Chu. He besieged the capital of song for half a year and prepared to besiege it for a long time. Hua Yuan, the marshal of the king of song, sneaked into the bedroom of Zifan, the marshal of the state of Chu. He held Zifan hostage and said that the people of song would not surrender even if they changed their sons to eat, analyzed their bones and cooked. Please step back 30 miles and we can negotiate again.

Chinese PinYin : xī hái yǐ cuàn