Chinese idiom · 成语
木人石心
Meaning
Wooden man, stone heart; to be unfeeling or stoic.
Character by character
Origin and story
Historical anecdoteThe Book of Jin (晋书), in Xia Tong's biography, portrays a man unmoved by displays of power and luxury. In Luoyang to buy medicine for his sick mother, Xia sits in a boat while aristocrats gather nearby. Jia Chong tries to attract his attention with an imposing military procession, music, and elaborately dressed female performers circling the boat.
Xia remains seated as before, seemingly hearing none of it. Jia's party leaves, describing him as a wooden man with a stone heart. The image here concerns refusal to be enticed. Later the same words could accuse someone of coldness or lack of feeling, so firmness and heartlessness are not interchangeable in every use.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
她并非木人石心，只是不习惯在别人面前表达难过。
She is not heartless; she just is not used to showing sadness in front of others.
Literary; may mean unmoved by temptation or, later, emotionally cold.