jiāng僵lǐ李dài代táo桃
To take the blame or suffer punishment in place of another; to act as a scapegoat; to substitute one thing for another.
Era:
Early Modern
Frequency:
Synonym:
Story:
Once upon a time, there were five brothers who were all idle spendthrifts. However, they gained the emperor's favor and were appointed as attendants (侍中郎), leading luxurious lives. One of the brothers committed a crime, and the others began to quarrel and scheme against each other.
Someone then used a poem to comment on the situation: 'The peach grows by the well, a plum tree stands beside the peach. When worms gnaw at the peach's roots, the plum tree stiffens and dies in its stead. Trees can sacrifice themselves for each other, yet brothers forget their bond!'