From 《
后汉书·
陈蕃传》 (Book of the Later Han, Biography of Chen Fan): when young Chen Fan was scolded for not sweeping his own room, he replied "
大丈夫处世，
当扫除天下，
安事一室乎?" (A real man, born into this world, should sweep clean the empire — why bother with one room?). The phrase has come to symbolize lofty political ambition.
