To charge forward without regard for one's own safety.
📜 Origin
《报任安书》
💡 Detailed Explanation
"Fen Bu Gu Shen" means to advance bravely without regard for one's personal safety. In this idiom, "fen" means to rouse oneself to action, and "gu" means to scruple or consider. The idiom originates from Sima Qian's "Letter in Reply to Ren An" in the Han Dynasty, which contains the line "I often think of charging forward regardless of personal danger, in order to serve the urgent needs of the state," embodying the spirit of risking one's life for the nation's crises. Its deeper meaning emphasizes that at critical moments, for the sake of justice, duty, or the interests of others, one resolutely takes action, setting aside all concern for life and death. It is mostly used to praise heroes, the brave, or those who step forward in moments of crisis. In terms of cultural background, it is deeply influenced by the Confucian ideas of "sacrificing one's life to fulfill benevolence" and "giving up one's life for righteousness," and is a noble virtue highly esteemed by the Chinese nation. Its emotional tone is positive, carrying a strong sense of admiration and praise. In modern times, it is often used to describe the heroic deeds of firefighters, police officers, and soldiers in disaster relief and emergency rescue, and is also used metaphorically to describe going all out for an ideal or cause.
📝 Example
1. The firefighters rushed into the sea of fire regardless of their own safety and rescued the trapped children. (Meaning: to advance bravely without regard for personal danger.)
2. During the flood-fighting and emergency rescue efforts, the soldiers jumped into the raging currents regardless of their own safety, forming a human wall with their bodies. (Meaning: to bravely throw oneself into rescue operations without regard for personal safety.)