67．歹【歺】部 remains; skeleton
为commit非crime作do歹evil
After Emperor Tang Gaozong 唐高宗passed away, his wife Wu Zetian 武则天came into power. She discovered that a corrupt official, Zhou Xing周兴, was plotting a rebellion against her. Wu Zetian decided to punish him. She asked the state judicial officer to handle this matter.
The judicial officer invited Zhou Xing to the court and asked him a question: “Say there was a criminal who would not admit his crime. What should I do to get him to confess?” Zhou said, “This is easy, you just bring in a big hot oven and roast him. That would make him admit his wrongdoings!” The judicial officer immediately ordered his subordinate to bring in a hot oven. Then he said to Zhou Xing, “You are charged with corruption and evil conduct. You are also charged with conspiring to usurp power. Shall I do as you suggested – have you roasted in the oven?”
Scared to death, Zhou Xing promptly knelt and pleaded guilty to all charges. The moral of this story is that an evil person will be paid back with his own coin.
Please note, this story is borrowed from the idiom 请君入瓮(Please step into the vat) which means to invite your enemy to try what you have devised against them.
【拼音】wéi fēi zuò dǎi
【解释】为、作：做； 非、歹：坏事。做种种坏事。含贬义。
【出处】元·尚仲贤《柳毅传书》：“我且拿起来，只一口将他吞于腹中，看道可还有本事为非作歹。”
