A person who looks human but has a cruel, savage, or depraved heart; a beast in human form.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Antonym:
Story:
According to ancient texts, Yang Zhu once sought wisdom from the venerable philosopher Laozi. Laozi explained that truly wise individuals judge people by their intelligence and inner character, not by their outward appearance. Common folk, however, often focus solely on looks.
He pointed out that revered figures like Fuxi, Nuwa, and Shennong, though legendary for their contributions, were often depicted with non-human features such as snake bodies with human faces, or ox heads with tiger noses, demonstrating that appearance doesn't define greatness.
In stark contrast, historical tyrants like Jie of Xia, Zhou of Yin, Duke Huan of Lu, and King Mu of Chu, despite possessing human faces, were notorious for their brutal and depraved hearts, causing immense suffering to the world. Their actions embodied the essence of '人面兽心' (human face, beastly heart), highlighting the danger of those who appear human but harbor savage cruelty within.