生灵涂炭 Suffering and Misery
Explanation
生灵：百姓；涂：泥沼；炭：炭火。人民陷在泥塘和火坑里。形容人民处于极端困苦的境地。
Living beings: the common people; tu: mud; tan: charcoal fire. The people are trapped in mud and fire. It describes the situation where people are in extreme distress.
Origin Story
话说公元385年，前秦皇帝苻坚兵败被杀，国家陷入混乱。后秦乘机攻占长安，前秦灭亡。一时间，战火蔓延，百姓流离失所，饥寒交迫。许多人为了生存，不得不四处逃亡，甚至连基本的生活保障都难以维持。田地荒芜，房屋倒塌，瘟疫流行，饿殍遍野。整个国家陷入一片萧条景象，人民生活在水深火热之中，真可谓是生灵涂炭。这期间，曾经有官员想要号召百姓起来反抗，但由于后秦实力强大，最终失败告终，更增加百姓的痛苦。战乱持续多年，直到后秦被消灭，生灵涂炭的局面才逐渐好转，但国家百废待兴，需要很长时间才能恢复元气。这段历史深刻地体现了战争给人民带来的巨大灾难，也警示后人要珍惜和平，维护国家安定。
In 385 AD, the former Qin emperor Fu Jian was killed in battle, and the country fell into chaos. Later Qin took the opportunity to capture Chang'an, and the former Qin perished. For a time, wars spread, and the people were displaced, hungry, and cold. Many people, in order to survive, had to flee everywhere, and even the basic living security was difficult to maintain. The fields were deserted, the houses collapsed, plagues were prevalent, and corpses were everywhere. The entire country was in a state of desolation, and the people lived in dire straits, truly a picture of suffering and misery. During this period, there were officials who wanted to call on the people to resist, but due to the strength of Later Qin, they ultimately failed, increasing the suffering of the people. The wars lasted for many years, until Later Qin was destroyed, and the situation of suffering gradually improved, but the country was in ruins, and it took a long time to recover.
Usage
多用于形容社会动乱，人民生活困苦的场景。
It is often used to describe the scene of social unrest and the suffering of the people.
Examples
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战乱时期，百姓流离失所，生灵涂炭。
zhanluan shiqi,baixing liulizhishuo,shenglingtu tan.
During wartime, the people were displaced and suffered great hardship.
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国家长期处于动乱之中，生灵涂炭，民不聊生。
guojia changqi chu yu dongluan zhizhong,shenglingtu tan,minbuliao sheng
The country has been in turmoil for a long time, with people suffering from extreme poverty and starvation.