Why icing on the cake is not as good as sending charcoal in the snow?

It is better to give charcoal in the snow than to add icing on the cake: it is better to congratulate others when they are in prosperity than to help them when they are in trouble.

First of all, the icing on the cake:

1, pinyin: jǐn shàng tiān huā?

2. Explanation: It means adding flowers to a beautiful brocade fabric. The metaphor is slightly modified, and the beauty is more beautiful. The extended metaphor is further improved on the basis of the original results.

3. Interpretation by reference:

Mao Zedong's speech at Yan 'an Forum on Literature and Art: "The first step is not icing on the cake, but giving charcoal in the snow."

Yao's Li Zicheng, Volume II, Chapter 50: Some people in the world like to add icing on the cake or stand on a tall branch and sneer. When others make mistakes, it's hard to think more about the advantages of others.

Second, help in time:

1, pinyin: xuzheng sê ng tà n

2. Interpretation: Giving people charcoal to keep warm in snowy days is a metaphor for giving material or spiritual help when others are in urgent need.

3. Interpretation by reference:

Song Fan Chengda's poem "Sending Charcoal in the Snow to Hide Mustard": "Don't send charcoal in the snow, just talk about the scenery." This means that if you don't give charcoal in difficult times, the artistic conception and poetry you create will seem reluctant and artificial.

Extended data:

suggestion

It is said that Song Taizong was an emperor, but he knew it was not easy to start a business, so he lived a frugal life and was very sympathetic to the people. One winter was very cold. Wearing a fox coat, Emperor Taizong sat in a warm room and felt cold. He thought, "It's so cold that people who lack clothes and firewood must be cold."

So, he called Yin of Kaifeng Prefecture to the palace and said to him, "It's so cold now that we who don't worry about food and clothing all feel cold. Those who are short of clothes, food and charcoal are definitely colder. Now you take people to the city with food, clothes and charcoal to help those who have no clothes and wood. "

After hearing this, Yin Kaifeng immediately took people with food, clothes and charcoal to meet those poor people. The rescued people are very grateful. Therefore, this story was left in history.