<p>One of the most useful resources for checking this sort of thing is the huge database from Academia Sinica (中央研究院), <a href="http://hanji.sinica.edu.tw/" rel="nofollow">漢籍電子文獻</a>. </p>

<p>The earliest instance in 漢籍 is just what you cite, 後漢書西域傳, but 漢籍 also lets you look at the context, which can sometimes give a more precise date.  It turns out this line is attributed to 廣武帝, in 廣武二十一年. This would be A.D. 46-7. </p>

<p>Works such as <em>Shi ji</em>, <em>Han shu</em>, <em>San guo zhi</em>, <em>Hou Han shu</em>, and so on, often incorporate early original documents; if you want to date something, this can be very helpful.</p>

<p>I also can't help feeling that this expression is related to the famous line 七十而從心所欲 in the Analects. 從心 is 從心所欲, right?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-02T07:19:49.890Z
tw does such a better job of preserving info
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-02T05:57:58.367Z
2015-08-02T05:57:58.367Z
wpt
<p>Nope. I just look up the Chinese Idiom Dictionary, and I just find out the same answer. But be aware of this, 后汉 is not the same as Han Dynasty.</p>

<p>BTW, I am a native Chinese speaker and passion about history.</p>

<p>And you are messing Simplified Chinese with the original version Chinese.Yeah, 後 is what I am saying</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-01T10:04:09.497Z
2015-08-01T10:04:09.497Z
N.Liu
<p>What's the earliest usage of 力不从心?</p>
<p>The earliest I've seen is:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>《後汉书·西域传》</p>
<p>今使者大兵未能得出, 如諸國力不從心, 東西南北自在也。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Anything earlier than 后汉书? 445 is, apparently, the given year for completion of 后汉书.</p>

<history>
Earliest usage of 力不从心?
# Earliest usage of 力不从心?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-08-01)

What's the earliest usage of 力不从心?

The earliest I've seen is:

> 《後汉书·西域传》
>
> 今使者大兵未能得出, 如諸國力不從心, 東西南北自在也。

Anything earlier than 后汉书? 445 is, apparently, the given year for completion of 后汉书.

**Tags:** history

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-08-02. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

One of the most useful resources for checking this sort of thing is the huge database from Academia Sinica (中央研究院), [漢籍電子文獻](http://hanji.sinica.edu.tw/).

The earliest instance in 漢籍 is just what you cite, 後漢書西域傳, but 漢籍 also lets you look at the context, which can sometimes give a more precise date. It turns out this line is attributed to 廣武帝, in 廣武二十一年. This would be A.D. 46-7.

Works such as *Shi ji*, *Han shu*, *San guo zhi*, *Hou Han shu*, and so on, often incorporate early original documents; if you want to date something, this can be very helpful.

I also can't help feeling that this expression is related to the famous line 七十而從心所欲 in the Analects. 從心 is 從心所欲, right?

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: tw does such a better job of preserving info  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2015-08-01. Score: 1

Nope. I just look up the Chinese Idiom Dictionary, and I just find out the same answer. But be aware of this, 后汉 is not the same as Han Dynasty.

BTW, I am a native Chinese speaker and passion about history.

And you are messing Simplified Chinese with the original version Chinese.Yeah, 後 is what I am saying


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