卧冰哭竹 — “Referring to extreme filial piety”

卧冰哭竹 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “referring to extreme filial piety”. Particularly actions taken with great hardship to fulfill a parent's wishes, inspired by the stories of Wang Xiang lying on ice for fish and Meng Zong weeping at bamboo for shoots. Literally, “Lying on ice and weeping at bamboo”.

Frequency

卧冰哭竹 Pronunciation and Pinyin

卧冰哭竹 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
卧	wò	8	lie down or crouch
冰	bīng	6	ice; to chill; pure
哭	kū	10	to weep or cry
竹	zhú	6	bamboo plant or instrument

Example Sentence with 卧冰哭竹

他为了给病中的母亲寻得稀有药材，不辞辛劳，这份卧冰哭竹的孝心令人动容。

To find rare medicinal herbs for his ailing mother, he spared no effort; such devoted filial piety, reminiscent of 'lying on ice and weeping at bamboo,' is truly touching.

Origin and Story of 卧冰哭竹

During the Jin Dynasty, there was a filial son named Wang Xiang. He treated his stepmother with the same devotion as his birth mother. When his stepmother fell ill and desired fresh fish, despite the freezing winter weather, Wang Xiang went to the frozen river. He lay on the ice, and remarkably, the ice melted, allowing two carp to leap out. He took them home to cook for his stepmother.

Similarly, Meng Zong, a man from the state of Chu, was also exceedingly filial to his mother. In winter, when his mother longed for bamboo shoots, Meng Zong ventured into the snow-covered bamboo forest. He embraced the bamboo and wept bitterly, and in response to his profound grief and filial devotion, the bamboo immediately sprouted tender shoots.