repress one’s selfish desires as if guarding the city against the enemy ❍ 富郑公有 ‘守口如瓶，～’ 之语。(周密《癸辛杂识别集下·守口如瓶》) Fu Zhenggong once said，“Keep your mouth as tight as a jar and guard against selfish desires as if guarding a city.”
防意如城fánɡ yì rú chénɡ
意：欲念。比喻控制自己的欲望，如同守城防敌一般。guard against one’s desire as if guarding a city against an enemy, guard the thoughts of the heart as one would defend a city