To be consumed by intense anxiety; to be extremely worried and agitated, as if one's heart is burning.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
The idiom '忧心如焚' (yōu xīn rú fén) originates from a historical account during the Western Zhou Dynasty. King You of Zhou was a despotic ruler who doted on his favorite concubine, Bao Si.
To amuse her, he would order large quantities of silk to be torn, as she enjoyed the sound. More notoriously, he repeatedly lit the beacon fires – a signal meant only for grave emergencies – just to make Bao Si laugh. Feudal lords rushed to the capital, only to find it was a prank, causing great resentment.
King You's heavy taxation, neglect of natural disasters, and appointment of corrupt officials like Yin Taishi led to widespread suffering among the people and disarray in the court.
A loyal minister named Jia Fu was deeply troubled by the king's misdeeds. He composed a poem expressing his profound anxiety, likening his worry to being burned by fire, and urged the king to see the decline of the kingdom.
However, King You ignored all warnings and continued his reckless ways. Ultimately, he was killed at Lishan, bringing an end to the Western Zhou Dynasty. Jia Fu's intense worry, akin to his heart being on fire, became the essence of '忧心如焚'.