"Lying on Ice to Seek Carp" comes from the Book of Jin: The Biography of Wang Xiang. It tells the story of Wang Xiang, a filial son of the Jin Dynasty, during the harsh winter when his stepmother craved fresh fish. He took off his clothes and lay on the ice, intending to melt it with his body heat to catch fish. Suddenly, the ice melted on its own, and two carp leaped out. This is regarded as a model of supreme filial piety moving heaven. The deeper meaning of this idiom is to describe children who show extreme filial devotion to their parents, sparing no sacrifice, even moving heaven and earth. It is mostly used to praise acts of filial piety or to emphasize the sincerity of filial devotion. In terms of cultural background, it embodies the core Confucian value of "filial piety," especially the belief that "filial piety moves heaven." Its emotional tone is positive, carrying reverence and deep emotion, but in modern contexts it may also be used to reflect on blind or excessive filial piety.
📝 Example
1. In order to take care of his seriously ill mother, he did not hesitate to resign from his high-paying job and kept watch over her day and night, showing filial devotion as extreme as lying on ice to catch carp. (describing extreme filial piety)
2. Among the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars of ancient times, although the story of lying on ice to catch carp is deeply moving, modern people should practice filial piety more rationally. (referring to acts of supreme filial devotion that move heaven)