To have no desire for fame or high position; to be content with obscurity and not seek public recognition.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Synonym:
Story:
During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang was appointed Marquis of Wuxiang by Liu Bei and served as a key advisor to the later emperor Liu Shan. With the goal of restoring the Shu Han dynasty, Zhuge Liang launched multiple military campaigns against the state of Wei.
Before one such expedition, he presented the "Memorial on Sending Forth the Troops" (Chu Shi Biao) to the later emperor.
In this memorial, he humbly described himself as a commoner from Nanyang, stating that he had no aspirations for fame or high status. He recounted how the late emperor (Liu Bei) had personally visited his humble dwelling three times to enlist his help, deeply moving him. Therefore, out of gratitude and loyalty, he pledged to dedicate all his energy and efforts to the Shu Han dynasty until his dying day.