Chinese idiom · 成语
铁面无私
Meaning
Iron face without bias; strict impartiality.
Character by character
Origin and story
Literary and historical imageThe iron face suggests firmness that cannot be softened by personal influence. A documented occurrence is in chapter thirty-seven of Shuo Hu Quanzhuan, a historical romance about the Hu family, where Bao Zheng's impartial severity is acknowledged even by the opposing side. This is the novel's portrayal of a famous official, not a transcript of an actual court case.
The associated image also appears in the title Iron-Faced Censor given to the Song official Zhao Bian. These traditions connect firmness with freedom from favoritism. The idiom praises applying standards impartially; it does not require cruelty, literal facial features, or complete absence of compassion.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
评委铁面无私，给自己学生的作品也扣了该扣的分。
The judge was strictly impartial, deducting deserved points even from their own student's work.
Praises firm impartiality and freedom from favoritism.