故步自封 gù bù zì fēng rest on one's laurels

Explanation

比喻守着老一套，不求进步。

It is used to describe someone who sticks to old ways and does not seek progress.

Origin Story

话说春秋战国时期，有一个诸侯国，国君昏庸无能，大臣们也个个故步自封，不愿变法图强。邻国齐国不断强大，多次进犯边境，这个小国却毫无应对之策。一次齐国大军压境，小国君主惊慌失措，召集大臣商议对策。大臣们有的提议坚守城池，有的提议向齐国求和，但都没有什么建设性意见。这时，一个年轻的大臣站了出来，他慷慨激昂地说："大王，我们不能再故步自封了！齐国之所以强大，是因为他们不断改革创新，而我们却墨守成规，最终只能坐以待毙。我们应该学习齐国的先进经验，改革弊政，增强国力，才能抵御外敌入侵！"他的话引起了很多大臣的共鸣，国君也终于醒悟过来，下令进行改革，最终使国家免于灭亡。

huashuo chunqiu zhanguo shiqi, you yige zhūhóu guó, guójūn hūnyōng wú néng, dà chén men yě gège gù bù zì fēng, buyuàn biànfǎ túqiáng. lín guó qí guó bùduàn qiángdà, duō cì jìnfàn biānjìng, zhège xiǎo guó què háo wú yìngduì zhī cè. yī cì qí guó dàjūn yājìng, xiǎo guó jūnzhǔ jīnghuāng shī cuò, zhàojí dà chén shāngyì duìcè. dà chén men yǒu de tíyì jiānshǒu chéng chí, yǒu de tíyì xiàng qí guó qiú hé, dàn dōu méiyǒu shénme jiànshè xìng yìjiàn. zhè shí, yī ge niánqīng de dà chén zhàn le chūlái, tā kāngkǎi jī áng de shuō: "dà wáng, wǒmen bù néng zài gù bù zì fēng le! qí guó zhī suǒ yǐ qiángdà, shì yīnwèi tāmen bùduàn gǎigé chuàngxīn, ér wǒmen què mòshǒu chéngguī, zhōngyóu zhǐ néng zuò'ěr dàibì. wǒmen yīnggāi xuéxí qí guó de xiānjìn jīngyàn, gǎigé bì zhèng, zēngqiáng guólì, cái néng dǐyù wàidí qīn rù!" tā de huà yǐnqǐ le hěn duō dà chén de gòngmíng, guójūn yě zhōngyú xǐngwù guòlái, xià lìng jìnxíng gǎigé, zhōngyú shǐ guójiā miǎn yú mièwáng.

During the Warring States period, there was a small kingdom whose ruler was incompetent and whose ministers were all complacent and unwilling to reform. The neighboring Qi kingdom was constantly growing stronger and invaded the border several times. This small country had no response plan. Once, when the Qi army pressed on its border, the ruler was panic-stricken and convened a meeting of ministers to discuss countermeasures. Some ministers suggested defending the city, while others suggested seeking peace with Qi, but none offered any constructive suggestions. Then, a young minister stood up and said passionately, “Your Majesty, we can no longer be complacent! The reason why Qi is so strong is that they are constantly reforming and innovating, while we are sticking to old ways, and we can only sit and wait for death. We should learn from the advanced experience of Qi, reform the maladministration, strengthen national strength, and only then can we resist foreign invasion!” His words resonated with many ministers, and the ruler finally awakened and ordered reforms, ultimately saving the country from destruction.

Usage

用于形容人或机构墨守成规，不思进取。

yongyu xingrong ren huo jigou moshouchenggui, busi jinqu

It is used to describe a person or organization that sticks to old ways and does not seek progress.

Examples

• 他故步自封，不愿学习新技术，最终被时代淘汰。

  ta gubu zifei, buyuan xuexi xin jishu, zhongyou bei shidai taotai.

  He is stuck in his old ways and unwilling to learn new technologies, which eventually led to his elimination.

• 公司一直故步自封，导致市场份额不断下降。

  gongsi yizhi gubu zifei, daozhi shichang fen'e budun jiangxia

  The company has been sticking to its old ways, leading to a decline in market share.

Related Idioms

• 墨守成规

• 抱残守缺

• 因循守旧

Opposite Idioms

• 勇往直前

• 与时俱进