水深火热 — “Living in extreme hardship and suffering”

The idiom "Shuǐ Shēn Huǒ Rè" (水深火热), meaning 'deep water and scorching fire,' originates from "Mencius, King Liang Hui II" (《孟子 梁惠王下》), describing a state of suffering as profound as being submerged in deep water and engulfed by raging fire. It vividly portrays people living in extreme misery and hardship.

The story traces back to the Warring States period when King Kuai of Yan abdicated his throne to his prime minister, Zi Zhi, which plunged the state of Yan into internal chaos and civil war. Seizing this opportunity, King Xuan of Qi dispatched General Kuang Zhang and a large army to invade Yan. The people of Yan, already suffering from their internal conflicts, offered little resistance and even welcomed the Qi army, hoping for an end to their hardships. Kuang Zhang quickly captured the Yan capital.

However, the Qi army did not withdraw and began to oppress the local populace, causing widespread resentment among the Yan people. King Xuan of Qi then consulted Mencius about whether to annex Yan.

Mencius advised him that if annexing Yan would bring happiness to its people, then it should be done, citing historical precedents. But if it would cause further unhappiness, it should not be done. Mencius explained that while the people of Yan initially welcomed the Qi forces to escape their hard lives, if Qi's rule were to plunge them into even greater "deep waters and scorching fire" of suffering, they would undoubtedly wish for another state to come to their rescue. Thus, the idiom came to describe a dire situation of widespread suffering and extreme hardship.