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板荡识诚臣

板蕩識誠臣
bǎndàngshíchéngchén
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 in troubled times one knows the loyal minister
  2. 2 (fig.) true character is revealed only in adversity
  3. 3 (lit.) turmoil recognizes the honest official

Examples

古人云疾风知劲草，板荡识诚臣，危难之际方见人心。
Gǔrén yún jífēng zhī jìngcǎo, bǎndàng shí chéngchén, wēinàn zhī jì fāng jiàn rénxīn.
The ancients said 'fierce wind reveals the strong grass; turmoil reveals the honest minister' — only in crisis do you see true character.
公司最困难的时候，他坚持留下，正是板荡识诚臣。
Gōngsī zuì kùnnán de shíhou, tā jiānchí liú xià, zhèng shì bǎndàng shí chéngchén.
He chose to stay when the company was at its worst — 'turmoil reveals the loyal minister' indeed.

Tips

history
From 唐太宗《赐萧瑀》(Emperor Tang Taizong, early Tang, ~630s), a five-character quatrain praising his loyal minister Xiao Yu: 疾风知劲草，板荡识诚臣。勇夫安识义，智者必怀仁 (A fierce wind reveals the strong grass; turmoil reveals the honest minister. How could the merely brave know duty? — only the wise always hold benevolence). 板荡 = two 《诗经·大雅》poems, 板 and 荡, both mourning a chaotic age; the word came to stand for political upheaval itself.
usage
Almost always cited as the pair 疾风知劲草，板荡识诚臣 — quoting only the second line is idiomatic but evokes the first. A favorite Xi Jinping speech quote on cadre loyalty.

Stroke Order

板 bǎn
荡 dàng
识 shí
诚 chéng
臣 chén