There is an idiom "There is no finished egg under the nest". In the idiom "building a nest" means that a family or group is destroyed, and "finished egg" means martyrdom in the destruction. Emphasize that one's own destiny is closely related to the fate of the group, and any party's damage will affect the overall interests. The idiom originated from Huai Nan Zi Ren Xun: "Under the nest, are there eggs?" The Biography of Zhou Dunyi in the History of Song Dynasty quoted "under the nest" as a metaphor for the national turmoil, which could not be completely preserved, and had cultural accumulation, emphasizing the overall destiny of the country.
In addition to describing the relationship between individuals and collectives, this idiom can also be used to describe the inevitable fate of individuals. This idiom can also be used to indicate the consequences of destruction or disaster. In this case, it is emphasized that even those who survive successfully still have to bear the consequences of damage or loss. It can also be used to describe those who are still struggling to survive after the disaster. Even if only some of them survive, they can still make important contributions to the reconstruction of their homes and social development.
How can there be a source of finished eggs under the nest?
The earliest record of the idiom "How can there be a complete egg under the nest" comes from the ancient book Huai Nan Zi Ren Xun in the Warring States Period in China: "Is there a complete egg under the nest?" . The family is ruined and the people are miserable. The extended meaning of this idiom is that once the collective encounters a crisis, it may be difficult for any individual to be immune. In the traditional culture of China, this idiom is also interpreted as that leaders should not miss the overall interests of the grassroots, or should not shirk their responsibilities when disasters affect the overall situation.
This idiom later appeared in Xunzi Confucian Effect to express the colorful relationship between personal destiny and overall destiny. This idiom was also widely used in later cultures.
Chairman Mao once used the idiom "there are no eggs under the nest" at a literary forum to reflect the destruction of intellectuals by the movement to break the four modernizations. It is also often used to describe the decline or failure of families, organizations and enterprises.