Metaphorical Mapping and Cultural Significance in Chinese Death-Related Idiomatic Expressions

ABSTRACT

This study examined the metaphorical expressions of death in Chinese quadrisyllabic idioms. Specifically, the research investigated the cultural connotations and implications conveyed through death-related idioms by analyzing metaphorical examples. Adopting the ‘Great Chain of Being’ framework (Lakoff and Turner, 1989), a total of 579 death-related idioms with metaphorical and euphemistic meanings were classified and examined. These idioms were further categorized based on the gender of the deceased as well as the initial metaphors and expressions employed. Our research findings highlight cultural parallels evident in death-related idiomatic expressions. Both English and Chinese languages employ metaphors like “DEATH IS SLEEP” and “DEATH IS DEPARTURE.” These pervasive metaphors can be attributed to shared aspects of the human experience. Meanwhile, our findings also revealed a strong intertwining of metaphors and culture within death-related idioms, such that the metaphor “TO DIE IS TO FALL” is frequently used in Mandarin but is not as common in English. The metaphorical mapping mechanisms employed in these idioms reflect the Chinese way of projecting thoughts onto objects and highlight the unique features of the Chinese language. Chinese culture places great emphasis on social classes, relationships, and hierarchical structures. These notions are not only reflected in social etiquette and how one handles interactions, but are also evident in euphemisms and idioms associated with death.

Acknowledgement

We express our gratitude to Chiarung Lu and Ini Tsai for engaging in insightful discussions during the conceptualization of this research. Additionally, we are indebted to the two anonymous reviewers and the associate editor for providing valuable comments on a prior version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ The origin of elegiac couplets used in contemporary Chinese funerals dates back to ancient times, with elegies mourning the death of parents already found in the Book of Odes, the earliest anthology of poetry in China, containing a total of 305 poems that span from the early Western Zhou period to the middle of the Spring and Autumn period (approximately the 11th century BC to the 6th century BC). By the Northern Song Dynasty (1088 AD), upon the passing of literati officials, their colleagues began presenting elegiac couplets as a form of condolence during funerals, marking the formal emergence of this practice (Yu, 2013, 1998). It gradually spread during the Ming and Qing dynasties, gaining significant popularity during the Qing Dynasty (1636–1912 AD). The use of elegiac couplets reflects the Confucian values of filial piety and respect for the deceased. The tradition of using four-character idiomatic phrases in elegiac couplets has existed since ancient times, with a long-standing cultural legacy. Despite political divergence between Taiwan and mainland China since 1949, the funeral customs for mourning deceased family and friends remain consistent. The use of elegiac couplets is also prevalent in Hong Kong.

² The Book of Documents (Shangshu) refers to a compilation of political documents from the period before 221 BCE.

³ The I Ching, also known as the Yi Jing (n.d.), is an ancient Chinese text of divination that holds a significant position among the oldest works of Chinese literature. Commonly referred to as the “Book of Changes” or the “Classic of Changes,” it originated as a manual for divination during the Western Zhou period (1000–750 BC). However, during the Warring States and early imperial periods (500–200 BC), it underwent a transformative process and evolved into a cosmological text accompanied by a series of philosophical commentaries.

⁴ Both plant metaphors (orchids) and inanimate object metaphors (jade) are present. Therefore, the count of idioms may overlap as they include multiple instances of these metaphors.

⁵ In Chinese, cí 慈 (tender) symbolizes the mother. The ancient poem from the 8^th century AD 慈母手中線 cí mǔ shǒu zhōng xiàn [tender-mother-hand-inside-thread] “A thread in the loving mother’s hand” uses cí 慈 (tender) to metaphorically represent a mother’s tenderness. When a mother passes away, it is customary to hang a sign with cí zhi 慈制 (tender/motherly discipline) at the front gate, while when a father passes away, a sign with yán zhì 嚴制 (strict discipline) is displayed. This practice stems from traditional Chinese culture where fathers are often seen as strict, and mothers as tender. Cí zhú 慈竹[tender – bamboo], due to the resemblance of its size and the way its bamboo branches interdepend, is metaphorically used to represent mothers.

⁶ The phrase 雁行失序 yàn háng shī xù [geese-line-lose-order] “the geese lose their formation” stands in contrast to 雁行有序 yàn háng yǒu xù [geese-line-have-order] “geese flying in an orderly formation.” The latter is derived from the Book of Odes, signifying an orderly formation in which geese fly, much like the age hierarchy among siblings, where the older brother comes before the younger. Hence, yàn háng 雁行 [geese-line] metaphorically extends to refer to the relationships among brothers. The phrase 雁行失序 yàn háng shī xù [geese-line-lose-order] “the geese lose their formation” was used to liken the loss of order in a formation of flying geese to the idea of siblings becoming estranged or experiencing loss.