[Explanation]: Neither the wind nor the shadow can be grasped. There is no basis in the fact that metaphors speak and do things.

【Idiom Story】:

The meaning of the idiom "chasing after the wind and catching shadows" is that there is no definite factual basis for speaking and doing things, or that nothing is wrong.

This idiom comes from the Hanshu. Suburbs under the Zhi", listen to his words, full of ears, if you will meet; Seeking it, swinging like the wind and catching the scenery, you can't get it in the end.

Gu Yong, whose name is Ziyun, was a native of Chang'an (in present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi), and served as a doctor of Guanglu and a great priest during the reign of Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty.

Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty became an emperor at the age of twenty, and by the time he was in his forties, he had no children. He listened to the words of the priests and was keen to worship the ghosts and gods. Many people who wrote to Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty to talk about sacrificing ghosts and gods or talking about immortals were easily rewarded with high-ranking officials. Emperor Cheng listened to their words and held a large sacrifice in Shanglin Yuan on the outskirts of Chang'an, praying for God's blessing, spending a lot of money, but there was no effect.

Gu Yong wrote to Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty and said: "I have heard that for a person who understands the nature of heaven and earth, it is impossible to use gods and monsters to confuse him; He who understands the principles of all things in the world cannot be deceived by those who behave wrongly. Now some people talk about gods and ghosts, preach the method of sacrifice, and say that there are immortals in the world, taking immortal medicine, and their longevity is as high as Nanshan. Listening to their words, my ears are full of beautiful scenes, as if I would soon meet the gods; But if you seek it, it will be as illusory as if you were to tie the wind and catch the shadows. Therefore the wise kings of ancient times did not listen to these words, and the saints never said such things. ”。

Gu Yong also gave an example: Chang Hong, the historian of the Zhou Dynasty, wanted to help King Ling of Zhou by sacrificing ghosts and gods, so that the princes of the world could come to the court, but the Zhou royal family was even more decayed, and the princes rebelled more; King Huai of Chu solemnly sacrificed to the ghosts and gods, and asked the gods to bless him to repel the Qin army, but the battle was defeated, the land was cut by Qin, and he became a prisoner; After Qin Shi Huang unified the world, he sent Xu Fu to lead boys and girls to the sea to seek immortals and collect medicine, but he never returned, and was resented by the people of the world. Finally, he said: "From ancient times to the present, emperors have searched all over the world to seek gods and immortals with their noble status and many possessions, but there has been no fulfillment at all. I hope you will stop allowing those who misbehave to interfere in the affairs of the imperial court. ”

Emperor Cheng of Han thought that what Gu Shui said was very reasonable, so he listened to his opinion.

"Four-character Idiom Story" is catching the wind and catching shadows is hitting in the hand, please wait a moment,

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