The Han Dynasty produced a number of harsh officials, whose iron-fisted governance struck fear into the hearts of all who crossed them; more than a dozen such figures are recorded in history.
Among the most notorious of these harsh officials was a man named Zhi Du, known for his iron will and blunt counsel. He administered justice with ruthless efficiency, leaving no room for mercy or compromise.
During the reign of Emperor Jing of Han, Zhi Du served as an imperial guard. One day, while accompanying the emperor to Shanglin Park, a wild boar suddenly charged into the restroom where the emperor's favorite concubine, Lady Jia, was inside. Fearing for her safety, the emperor ordered Zhi Du to rescue her, but Zhi Du refused. When the emperor prepared to go himself, Zhi Du stopped him, saying, "Losing one concubine can be replaced, but Your Majesty must consider the nation, the ancestral temple, and the Empress Dowager—do not risk your life for a single woman."
With such a lofty justification, Emperor Xiaojing had no choice but to drop the matter. Fortunately, the wild boar eventually ran out on its own, without harming anyone.
Later, the region of Jinan fell into chaos. A powerful clan surnamed Xiang, with over three hundred households, bullied the weak and terrorized the countryside, with no official daring to intervene. Emperor Xiaojing appointed Zhi Du as the governor. Upon arrival, Zhi Du executed the ringleaders of the Xiang clan to the last man. The remaining members trembled in terror, never daring to cause trouble again, and from then on, the area remained peaceful.
Zhi Du enforced the law with ruthless severity, treating even the most powerful nobles the same. When Prince Liu Rong of Linjiang committed a crime and was imprisoned, he sought a knife and brush to carve a letter to the emperor. Zhi Du ordered that no one provide the prince with these tools, and indeed, no one dared to disobey. Unable to plead his case to the throne, Prince Liu Rong ultimately took his own life in prison.
Later, Emperor Jing of Han appointed Zhi Du as the governor of Yanmen. The Xiongnu soldiers, having long heard of Zhi Du's fearsome reputation, withdrew their border troops on their own, not daring to approach Yanmen Pass. The Xiongnu generals ordered a wooden effigy carved in Zhi Du's likeness and had their cavalry gallop and shoot arrows at it, but the riders trembled with fear at the sight of "Zhi Du," and not a single one could steady their bow to hit the target.
Another cruel official, Wang Wenshu, would sentence people to death in droves, with blood flowing over ten li across the ground, yet he still felt unsatisfied—truly a man who killed without blinking an eye.
Sima Qian, in his commentary on these harsh officials, remarked, "Though their governance was severe and ruthless, they were all competent in their duties." He explained that in those times, managing affairs was like extinguishing a fire or stopping boiling water—without employing forceful and strict measures, how could one handle the task effectively and with ease?
The idiom "Sheng Ren Yu Kuai" means being fully capable of handling or enduring a task, having the ability to take on a responsibility and complete it to everyone's satisfaction.
Source: *Records of the Grand Historian*, "Biography of Cruel Officials"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "胜任愉快" came to describe being fully capable of handling or enduring a task, having the ability to take on a responsibility and complete it to everyone's satisfaction.