"Jinshi wei kai" literally means metal and stone are opened, symbolizing that as long as one's heart is sincere and will is firm, one can move all things and overcome all difficulties. This idiom originates from the allusion in Liu Xiang's Xin Xu, Miscellaneous Affairs IV of the Han Dynasty: "Xiong Quzi showed his sincerity, and metal and stone were opened for him." It tells the story of Xiong Quzi of the State of Chu, who was traveling at night and mistook a stone for a tiger. He drew his bow and shot at it, and the arrow sank into the stone. Later, when he realized it was a stone and shot again, the arrow could no longer penetrate. This illustrates the power of sincere concentration. It is often used to describe how a sincere heart can move people and melt ice, or how a firm will can overcome difficulties. In terms of cultural background, it embodies the Confucian idea that "utmost sincerity moves the spirits" and the Daoist idea that "where absolute sincerity reaches, metal and stone are opened." Its emotional tone is positive, and it is mostly used to encourage or praise perseverance or treating others with sincerity. Usage scenarios include persuading others to persevere, describing sincerity that moves stubborn people, or emphasizing the power of belief.
📝 Example
1. As long as everyone unites with absolute sincerity, even metal and stone will be split open—no difficulty is too great to overcome. (Metaphor: as long as people are sincerely united, they can overcome any difficulty.)
2. He cared for the elderly living alone for ten years as if it were a single day, and in the end, his sincerity moved even metal and stone, touching the hearts of his originally indifferent neighbors. (Metaphor: a sincere heart can move and transform others.)