Han Yu, a master prose writer of the Tang Dynasty, is celebrated as the foremost of the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song dynasties.
At twenty-four, Han Yu passed the imperial examinations on his own merit and began his official career. Renowned for his vast knowledge, he was appointed as a professor at the Imperial Academy and later promoted to imperial censor.
At that time, Emperor Dezong of Tang sent eunuchs to purchase various items for the palace on the streets, calling it "palace market." The eunuchs often paid very little or even nothing for the goods. Han Yu saw this and submitted a memorial strongly criticizing the abuses of the "palace market," which angered Emperor Dezong, leading to his demotion as magistrate of Yangshan County in Lianzhou.
After Emperor Dezong of Tang died and Emperor Xianzong ascended the throne, he was recalled to the capital to serve as a deputy director in the Ministry of Personnel. But this good fortune was short-lived: because his memorial criticizing the Huazhou prefect for mishandling a case contained errors, he was demoted again, this time to the position of a professor at the Imperial Academy.
Han Yu, confident in his own talent yet repeatedly demoted, felt deeply frustrated, so he wrote an essay titled "Explanation of Progress in Learning." In this essay, Han Yu wrote:
"The Imperial Academy Doctor arrived at the Grand Academy, encouraging all students to strive diligently and not neglect their studies. Because the current rulers are all people who select the worthy and appoint the capable, being fair and selfless. Therefore, one should only fear lacking true talent and learning, not worry about being unrecognized or promoted."
Before he could finish, a burst of laughter erupted among the students. Someone stepped forward and said, "Doctor, you are deceiving us! We have studied under you for years and know well your vast knowledge and unmatched literary talent. But why is it that you so often find yourself in trouble for the slightest thing?"
The doctor chuckled wittily, "Though I often get blamed for my actions, isn't it fortunate that I can still serve as a doctor to teach you?"
In this essay, Han Yu was actually venting his own frustrations and airing grievances about his demotion, and his intention was quite clear.
Later, the idiom "blamed for every move" came to describe someone who is often punished or criticized for their actions.
Source: Han Yu (Tang Dynasty), *Explanation of Advanced Learning*
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "动辄得咎" came to describe how someone is often punished or criticized for their actions.