闭关自守 bì guān zì shǒu Close the country and protect oneself

Explanation

指关闭关口，不与外界交往。比喻保守，不愿与外界接触。

Refers to closing borders and refusing to interact with the outside world. It metaphorically represents conservatism and unwillingness to contact the outside world.

Origin Story

在一个偏远的小山村里，住着一位老农和他的家人。世世代代，他们都过着自给自足的生活，与外界几乎没有任何联系。老农相信，外面的世界充满了危险和诱惑，而他们平静的小村庄才是最安全的避风港。他告诫他的孩子们，要坚守祖辈传下来的生活方式，不要轻易踏出村子的边界。孩子们从小听着这样的教诲长大，他们的世界就是这个小小的村庄，对外面的一切都充满着好奇和恐惧。直到有一天，一位来自城市的外来者误入了村庄，他向村民们展示了外面的世界：发达的科技，便捷的生活，以及丰富多彩的文化。村民们第一次意识到，他们过去的生活是多么的狭隘和落后。老农也开始反思他过去闭关自守的做法，他意识到，与外界交流并不意味着危险，反而能带来进步和发展。从此，小山村不再闭关自守，村民们开始走出大山，拥抱外面的世界。他们学习新的技术，开拓新的市场，生活也因此发生了翻天覆地的变化。

zài yīgè piānyuǎn de xiǎoshān cūn lǐ, zhù zhe yī wèi lǎonóng hé tā de jiārén. shìshìdài dài, tāmen dōu guò zhe zìgěizì zú de shēnghuó, yǔ wàijiè jīhū méiyǒu rènhé liánxì. lǎonóng xiāngxìn, wàimiàn de shìjiè chōngmǎn le wēixiǎn hé yòuhuò, ér tāmen píngjìng de xiǎo cūn zhuāng cái shì zuì ānquán de bìfēnggǎng. tā gàojiè tā de háizimen, yào jiānshǒu zǔbèi chuán xià lái de shēnghuó fāngshì, bùyào qīngyì tà chū cūnzǐ de biānjiè. háizimen cóng xiǎo tīngzhe zhèyàng de jiàohùi zhǎngdà, tāmen de shìjiè jiùshì zhège xiǎoxiǎo de cūn zhuāng, duì wàimiàn de yīqiè dōu chōngmǎn zhe hàoqí hé kǒngjù. zhídào yǒu yītiān, yī wèi láizì chéngshì de wàiláizhě wùrù le cūn zhuāng, tā xiàng cūnmínmen zhǎnshì le wàimiàn de shìjiè: fādá de kē jì, biànjié de shēnghuó, yǐjí fēngfù duōcǎi de wénhuà. cūnmínmen dì yī cì yìshí dào, tāmen guòqù de shēnghuó shì duōme de xiá'ài hé luòhòu. lǎonóng yě kāishǐ fǎnsī tā guòqù bì guān zì shǒu de zuòfǎ, tā yìshí dào, yǔ wàijiè jiāoliú bìng bù yìwèizhe wēixiǎn, fǎn'ér néng dài lái jìnbù hé fāzhǎn. cóng cǐ, xiǎoshān cūn bù zài bì guān zì shǒu, cūnmínmen kāishǐ zǒu chū dàshān, yōngbào wàimiàn de shìjiè. tāmen xuéxí xīn de jìshù, kāituò xīn de shìchǎng, shēnghuó yě yīncǐ fāshēng le fāntiāndiàndì de biànhuà.

In a remote mountain village, there lived an old farmer and his family. For generations, they lived a self-sufficient life with almost no contact with the outside world. The old farmer believed that the outside world was full of dangers and temptations, and that their peaceful little village was the safest haven. He warned his children to stick to the lifestyle passed down from their ancestors and not to easily step outside the village boundaries. The children grew up listening to such teachings; their world was this small village, and they were both curious and fearful of everything outside. Until one day, an outsider from the city strayed into the village, and he showed the villagers the outside world: advanced technology, convenient life, and a rich and colorful culture. For the first time, the villagers realized how narrow and backward their past lives had been. The old farmer also began to reflect on his past closed-door policy. He realized that interacting with the outside world did not necessarily mean danger, but could bring progress and development. From then on, the small mountain village no longer closed itself off, and the villagers began to leave the mountains and embrace the outside world. They learned new technologies, developed new markets, and their lives changed dramatically as a result.

Usage

常用于形容人或组织保守，不愿与外界交流，或国家政策封闭的情况。

cháng yòng yú xíngróng rén huò zǔzhī bǎoshǒu, bù yuàn yǔ wàijiè jiāoliú, huò guójiā zhèngcè fēngbì de qíngkuàng.

Often used to describe people or organizations that are conservative and unwilling to communicate with the outside world, or the situation of a closed national policy.

Examples

• 这个公司闭关自守，不愿与其他公司合作，最终错失了良机。

  zhège gōngsī bì guān zì shǒu,bù yuàn yǔ qítā gōngsī hézuò, zuìzhōng cuòshī le liángjī.

  This company is closed and unwilling to cooperate with other companies, ultimately missing good opportunities.

• 他性格内向，闭关自守，很少与人交往。

  tā xìnggé nèixiàng, bì guān zì shǒu, hǎo shǎo yǔ rén jiāowǎng.

  He is introverted, withdrawn, and rarely interacts with others.

Related Idioms

• 闭关锁国

• 故步自封

Opposite Idioms

• 开放交流

• 海纳百川