The phrase originates from a brilliant military tactic used by the famous general Han Xin in China’s historical records, Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian).
■ Pitching Camp with a River at Their Backs When facing an enemy army (the Zhao forces) that vastly outnumbered his own, Han Xin intentionally set up his camp with an inescapable river right behind his troops.
■ Cutting Off the Escape Route to Fight Desperately Placed in a situation where “if they lost, they would fall into the river and die,” the soldiers tapped into an extraordinary surge of hidden strength just to survive. They fought fiercely and achieved a stunning, miraculous comeback victory.
Originally a tactic to “intentionally cut off retreat routes to draw out the hidden potential of one’s allies,” today the expression is widely used to mean “taking on a challenge with absolute determination when you have no other way out.”
■ Common Examples and Usage
- “Taking on the exam with my back against the wall” (Approaching a test with a fierce resolve that there is no second chance if you fail)
- “Putting oneself in a do-or-die position” (Deliberately eliminating escape routes to create an environment where you must give it your all)
When I first started my own business—and even now—my heart is always in a similar place.
I make all the decisions myself, and I take full responsibility for them. I accept both the good times and the tough times. While I sometimes consult with my husband, the core of what I do comes from thinking with my own head and moving forward on my own two feet.
With that in mind, I have an important announcement to share with you.
Up until now, I have offered the ‘My Journey to Marriage’ series at $3 so that everyone could enjoy it casually. However, as the series has grown and the content has become much deeper, I will be updating the price to its proper value of $5 to better honor the worth of these works and continue stepping forward.
It is still $3 right now, but the price will soon become $5. If you’ve been curious about it, I hope you’ll grab it while you can!
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