Basic Info
- Chinese Idiom: 百世不磨 (Bǎi shì bù mó)
- Pinyin: bǎi shì bù mó
- Literal meaning: “Not worn away for a hundred generations.”
(百世 = a hundred generations; 不 = not; 磨 = to wear away / erase / obliterate)
Figurative Definition
It describes something – especially a reputation, influence, achievement, or moral example – that will never fade or be erased, no matter how many generations pass. It means imperishable, everlasting, and permanently remembered.
It is used to praise:
- A person’s enduring name or legacy – “名垂千古，百世不磨.”
- A profound and lasting influence – ideas, deeds, or institutions that shape history for centuries.
- A truth or principle that time cannot erode.
In short: lasting through the ages, never worn away.
Cultural & Historical Origin
This idiom appears in two classical Chinese sources:
- Book of the Later Han · Treatise on the Southern Xiongnu (《后汉书·南匈奴传论》):
“呜呼！千里之差，兴自毫端，失得之源，百世不磨矣。”
“Alas! A difference of a thousand li arises from the tip of a hair; the source of gain and loss will not be worn away for a hundred generations.”
The passage reflects on how tiny decisions and small beginnings can produce consequences that last for centuries – the “source of gain and loss” is imperishable.
- Tang Dynasty – Han Yu, Sending Away Poverty (韩愈《送穷文》):
“人生一世，其久几何。吾立子名，百世不磨。”
“A human life lasts but one generation – how long is it, really? I establish your name, and it will not be worn away for a hundred generations.”
Han Yu contrasts the brevity of human life with the possibility of lasting fame. Though a person lives only once, a name or achievement can endure for a hundred generations.
The idiom reflects a core Chinese cultural value: “立德、立功、立言” (establishing virtue, merit, and words) – the three ways to achieve true immortality through lasting contributions.
Key Lesson
Small beginnings can produce eternal consequences – and a good name can outlast a life. The idiom teaches two things:
- Be mindful of small decisions – a tiny cause can shape history for generations.
- Aim to leave something imperishable – not merely wealth, but a reputation, a contribution, or a moral example that time cannot erase.
It also carries a warning: what is “百世不磨” can be good or bad. A lasting legacy is not automatically a good one – choose what you want to be remembered for.
Cultural Note
In modern Chinese, “百世不磨” is a formal, literary, and highly admiring idiom. It appears in:
- Eulogies and memorial writing – praising a person’s enduring legacy.
- Historical and philosophical commentary – describing lasting principles or influences.
- Official and ceremonial language – honoring great figures and their contributions.
- Literary prose – emphasizing the permanence of truth, virtue, or art.
Its near-synonyms are “万古长存” (wàn gǔ cháng cún – “to last forever”), “名垂千古” (míng chuí qiān gǔ – “a name that hangs through the ages”), and “万世流芳” (wàn shì liú fāng – “to leave a good name for ten thousand generations”). Its opposites are “昙花一现” (tán huā yī xiàn – “a fleeting show, like the epiphyllum flower”) and “过眼云烟” (guò yǎn yún yān – “passing clouds and smoke”).
Similar English Expressions
- To stand the test of time – To remain valued or true over a long period.
- Imperishable / Undying – Never fading or being erased.
- Everlasting fame – A reputation that lasts forever.
- To go down in history – To be remembered for generations.
- Written in stone – Permanent and unchangeable.
- A lasting legacy – Something enduring left behind.
- To leave one’s mark – To make a permanent impression.
- Immortalized – Made permanently memorable.
The closest and most natural equivalents are “to stand the test of time,” “imperishable,” and “everlasting fame.”
In short, “百世不磨” means not worn away for a hundred generations – a formal, enduring idiom for lasting influence and imperishable reputation, and a reminder that a life is brief, but what we build and how we are remembered can last for ages.
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