To fail just when success is within reach; to suffer a setback on the very brink of victory.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Antonym:
Story:
During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, General Xie Xuan, under the command of his uncle Xie An, achieved a decisive victory in the Battle of Feishui, forcing Fu Jian, the ruler of Former Qin, to flee back to Guanzhong.
Capitalizing on the momentum, Xie Xuan pursued the retreating forces and recovered a vast amount of northern territory.
However, just as the north was on the verge of unification, the Eastern Jin emperor, swayed by slanderous remarks, ordered Xie Xuan to withdraw his troops and garrison them in Huaiyin.
The unification of the north thus remained unfulfilled, and people lamented that he had 'failed on the verge of success' (功败垂成).