【to go through fire and water】

 

【to go through fire and water】

 

Chao Cuo (鼂錯) (200-154 BC) was a native of Yingchuan (潁川) during the Western Han Dynasty.

 

During the reign of Emperor

 Wen, he was known as a "wise

 advisor(智囊)" due to his extensive knowledge.

 

After the Crown Prince (Emperor Jing 景帝) ascended the throne, Chao Cuo (鼂錯) was promoted to

be the Censor-in-chief (御史大夫).

 

He frequently submitted offering advice, which Emperor Jing almost always accepted.

 

Later, he advocated reducing the fiefdoms of the vassal kings, which incurred their resentment.

 

When Emperor Jing actually adopted his suggestion and reduced the fiefdoms (封地) of the vassal kings,

 

seven vassal states, including Wu and Chu, rebelled, demanding that the emperor execute Chao Cuo (鼂錯),

 

thus forming the famous "Rebellion of the Seven States" in Western Han history.

 

To quell the internal strife, Emperor Jing granted the vassal kings' demands and sacrificed Chao Cuo (鼂錯).

 

Although Chao Cuo (鼂錯) died with resentment, his various suggestions had a significant influence on Emperor Jing.

 

For example, he once offered advice on border defense, advocating for the use of encouragement to motivate soldiers to defend the territory.

 

He said, "Those who can hold the city and defeat the enemy should be rewarded with titles (爵位);

 

those who can capture enemy cities should be given the spoils to increase their wealth and power.

Only in this way can soldiers be willing to risk their lives and serve their country without regard for their own safety."

 

Later, the idiom "to go through fire and water" evolved from this, used to describe someone who is fearless and undeterred by hardship.

 

Q1, fire and water 

      ➊花和果  ➋火和水  ➌黑和白

 

Q2, Emperor Jing 

      ➊大臣  ➋國王  ➌皇帝

 

Q3, Seven States 

       ➊七國  ➋八國  ➌九國

 

Q4, Western Han Dynasty

       ➊ 東漢 ➋ 西漢 ➌ 南漢

 

Q5, go through (赴) 

   

       ➊後退  ➋前往  ➌定居

 

Q6, risk their lives 冒著

      ➊失敗的危險  

      ➋丟臉的危險  

      ➌生命的危險

 

 

鼂錯（西元前２００∼前１５４）為西漢潁川人，文帝時，由於他學識豐富，被人稱為「智囊」。

 

太子（景帝）即位後，更升任為御史大夫，常上疏建言，景帝幾乎沒有不接受的。

 

後來他倡議削諸侯封地，讓各諸侯王懷恨在心，當景帝果真採用其議，削奪諸侯王封地時，吳、楚等七個諸侯國便舉兵叛變，要求皇帝誅殺鼂錯，形成西漢史上著名的「七國之亂」。

 

景帝為平息內亂，於是答應諸侯王的要求，犧牲了鼂錯。鼂錯雖然含怨而終，但他所提出的種種建議，對景帝都有極大的影響力。

 

例如他曾對邊塞的守備提出建議，主張應用鼓勵的方式激勵將士保衛疆土，他說：「對於能固守城池及戰勝敵人者，要給予爵位以示獎賞；對於能攻陷敵方城池者，要贈予所得的財貨以增加他的財富與權勢。唯有如此，才能使將士們甘願冒著生命的危險，不顧生死的為國效忠。」

 

後來「赴湯蹈火」這句成語就從這裡演變而出，用來比喻奮不顧身，不避艱險。