Shimensoka (Surrounded by Enemies)
[Meaning]
To be completely isolated, surrounded by enemies or opponents on all sides, with no allies or help.
[Example]
Unable to gain support from anyone in the company, he found himself in a situation of being completely surrounded by enemies.
[Origin and History]
[Source] Sima Qian, "Records of the Grand Historian," "Biography of Xiang Yu." It originates from the "Biography of Xiang Yu" in the historical work "Records of the Grand Historian," compiled by Sima Qian of the Western Han dynasty at the end of the Chu-Han Contention. When the Chu general Xiang Yu (King Xiang) was defeated in battle against Liu Bang (Emperor Gaozu) of Han and was surrounded by the Han army and the troops of various lords at Gaixia, he heard the songs of Chu coming from the Han army on all four sides during the night. Hearing this, Xiang Yu was shocked and despaired, thinking that even the people of his homeland, Chu, had already surrendered to Han.
The original text states, "At night, hearing the Han army singing Chu songs on all four sides, King Xiang was greatly shocked and said, 'Has Han already captured all of Chu? Why are there so many Chu people?'"
The Han army had soldiers sing Chu songs from all four sides of the encirclement. Xiang Yu assumed that even his homeland of Chu had been conquered by Han and that a large number of Chu people had joined the Han army, realizing he had lost his allies. From this, it came to mean being completely isolated with enemies all around.
Afterward, it is said that Xiang Yu recited a tragic poem beginning with "My strength uprooted mountains, my spirit covered the world" while drinking with his favorite concubine, Consort Yu.
[Synonyms]
Isolated and helpless, at a dead end
[Antonyms]
[Supplementary Note]
As a sequel to this story, another four-character idiom, "Kendo Churai" (to make a comeback), was born from the anecdote of Xiang Yu escaping from Gaixia until he took his own life. The poem Xiang Yu gave to Consort Yu is known as the "Song of Gaixia" and has also become the subject of the Peking Opera "Farewell My Concubine."