During the Spring and Autumn period (770－476BC), the State of Wu launched an attack against the State of Yue. The King of Wu was seriously wounded and soon died. His son Fu Chai became the new king. Determined to avenge his father's death, Fu drilled his army rigidly until it became a perfect fighting force. Three years later, he led his army against the State of Yue and captured its king, Gou Jian. Fu took him back to the State of Wu.
Fu required Gou to live in a shabby stone house by his father's tomb and ordered Gou to raise horses for him. Gou pretended to be loyal to Fu, but his mind was filled with revenge. Several years later, he was set free. Going back to his state, Gou secretly accumulated a military force. To make himself tougher, he slept on firewood and tried a gall-bladder before having dinner and going to bed. At the same time, he developed agriculture, strengthened education and administered his state wholeheartedly. His country became strong within a few years. Then Gou seized a favorable opportunity to wipe off the State of Wu.
Later, people use the phrase to describe one who endures self-imposed hardships to strengthen his resolve to achieve his ambition.
wò xīn cháng d?n
臥薪嘗膽
?????? 春秋時(shí)期，吳國派兵攻打越國，吳王不幸受了重傷，不久就死了。他的兒子夫差作了吳國的新國王，他發(fā)誓要替父親報(bào)仇。于是，他嚴(yán)格操練他的士兵，把他們訓(xùn)練成了一支非常厲害的軍隊(duì)。三年以后，他對(duì)越國發(fā)動(dòng)了戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)，抓住了越王勾踐，把他帶回了吳國。
?????? 為了復(fù)仇，夫差讓勾踐住在他父親墓旁的破石屋里天天看墓、喂馬。勾踐表面上服從，心里面卻想著復(fù)仇。幾年以后，勾踐被放回越國。他立刻開始秘密聚集一支軍隊(duì)。為了提醒自己不要忘了報(bào)仇，他睡在柴上，每天吃飯睡覺前還要嘗一嘗苦膽。同時(shí)，他專心治理國家，大力發(fā)展農(nóng)業(yè)，加強(qiáng)民眾教育。幾年后，越國又變得強(qiáng)大起來，于是勾踐抓住一個(gè)適當(dāng)?shù)臋C(jī)會(huì)消滅了吳國。
?????? 后來，人們用它來形容人刻苦自勵(lì)以達(dá)到自己定下的目標(biāo)。
xìng gāo c?i liè
興高采烈
with great joy; in high spirits; in great delight; jubilant
