xiǎo小xīn心yì翼yì翼
To act with extreme caution and meticulousness, showing great care and discretion; treading gingerly.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
The idiom "Xiao Xin Yi Yi" originates from "The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, Da Ming". Due to his father's strict upbringing, Jia Huangzhong passed the imperial examination at the age of fifteen and became a corrector of books.
Jia Huangzhong was an honest and upright official. When he served as the governor of Xuanzhou, there was a famine, and many people died of starvation. Jia Huangzhong used his own rice to cook porridge, saving thousands of lives. While serving in Jinling, he discovered dozens of boxes of priceless gold and silver treasures in the treasury. He immediately reported them to the imperial court.
Emperor Taizong of Song was very pleased and praised him, saying that if it weren't for his integrity, these treasures from previous dynasties would surely have been lost. The emperor also specially summoned Jia Huangzhong's mother, commending her for raising her son so well, comparing her to Mencius's mother.
However, Jia Huangzhong was excessively serious and cautious in his work, often unable to make decisive judgments in important matters. Later, when he was assigned to a provincial post and was bidding farewell to Emperor Taizong, the emperor advised him: "Acting with humility and caution is appropriate for both rulers and ministers. However, if it is overdone, one loses the dignity of a high-ranking official."
When Jia Huangzhong died, his family was poor. The emperor specially bestowed 300,000 coins and 300 taels of silver upon his elderly mother, in recognition of his incorruptible service as an official and his mother's effective parenting.