Dead ashes rekindle; (fig.) to revive, to resurface, to come back to life (especially of something negative, suppressed, or thought to be gone, becoming active again).
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
During the Western Han Dynasty, Han Anguo was a popular figure close to Emperor Jing and King Xiao of Liang. However, in his youth, he also experienced a complicated story. Due to being implicated in a certain matter, he was sent to prison to await the final judgment.
In prison, there was a guard named Tian Jia who was very rude to him and often humiliated him without mercy. One time, Anguo was bullied excessively and told Tian Jia, "Don't you think I will never have my day to shine in this life. Can ashes that have temporarily extinguished their flame not rekindle?" Tian Jia said proudly, "If they do, I will certainly pee on them to put them out."
However, not long after, Anguo was released without charge and even became a high-ranking official. At this point, Tian Jia had no choice but to bow his head and admit his mistake to Han Anguo.