十二道金牌 — “A series of urgent and peremptory imperial decrees or commands”

十二道金牌 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a series of urgent and peremptory imperial decrees or commands”. Especially those ordering a military recall, often implying an unjust or untimely order that forces one to abandon a successful endeavor. Literally, “Twelve golden plaques”.

Frequency

十二道金牌 Pronunciation and Pinyin

十二道金牌 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
十	shí	2	the number ten
二	èr	2	the number two
道	dào	13	way, path, principle, say
金	jīn	8	gold, metal, money
牌	pái	12	sign, brand, cards, shield

Example Sentence with 十二道金牌

项目正进行到关键阶段，突然接到领导的十二道金牌，要求立刻停止所有工作，让人费解。

The project was at a critical stage when suddenly, the leadership issued 'twelve golden plaques,' demanding an immediate halt to all work, which was quite puzzling.

Origin and Story of 十二道金牌

During the Southern Song Dynasty, the renowned general Yue Fei led his army, the 'Yue Family Army,' bravely on a northern expedition, aiming to reclaim lost territories from the Jurchens (Jin Dynasty).

The Yue Family Army fought valiantly and was on the verge of recapturing Bianjing (the capital) when the treacherous faction led by Prime Minister Qin Hui, who advocated for surrender, issued twelve urgent golden plaques (commands) in a single day, ordering the army to withdraw. Yue Fei knew it was impossible to continue the victorious pursuit and had no choice but to retreat.

After returning to the capital, he was falsely accused and executed by Qin Hui on trumped-up charges.