Jo-on-ma-nan-hui-dae-saek-gi
I would like to explore the origin of the phrase "Jo-on-ma-nan-hui-dae-saek-gi" by citing the four-character idiom "gyeong-geo-mang-dong" (acting rashly). During the Spring and Autumn/Warring States period of China, there lived a man with the surname Jo. Mrs. Jo was heavily pregnant, and one morning she said, "I hope to see a son."
Three days later, Mrs. Jo gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and following the dream that foretold the birth, Mr. Jo named the child "On-ma (溫馬)." As time passed, "Jo On-ma" turned twenty years old. Contrary to the expectations of his parents, Jo On-ma became a libertine who defiled every maiden in the village.
Unable to bear this any longer, the villagers eventually reported "Jo On-ma" to the local government, and he was brought before the magistrate. The magistrate then declared, "Jo On-ma-nan-hui-dae-saek-gi"—meaning Jo On-ma is a legendary libertine who has thrown the village into chaos.
Therefore, he ruled that castration was the appropriate punishment. Ultimately, Jo On-ma was castrated, and it is said that in later years, people began using the phrase "Jo-on-ma-nan-hui-dae-saek-gi" as a warning to those who act rashly, to remind them of the fate of "Jo On-ma."
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