to shed one's mortal body and exchange one's bones (idiom) / born again Daoist / to turn over a new leaf / fig. to change wholly / to create from other material (story, artwork etc)
死里逃生
sǐ lǐ táo shēng
mortal danger, escape alive (idiom) / a narrow escape / to survive by the skin of one's teeth
(idiom based on Sunzi's "The Art of War" 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[Sun1zi3 Bing1fa3]) to deploy one's troops in such a way that there is no possibility of retreat, so that they will fight for their lives and win the battle / to fight desperately when confronted with mortal danger / to find a way to emerge from a dire situation
三魂七魄
sān hún qī pò
three immortal souls and seven mortal forms in Daoism, contrasting the spiritual and carnal side of man
碎心裂胆
suì xīn liè dǎn
in mortal fear (idiom)
置之死地
zhì zhī sǐ dì
to place sb on field of death / to confront with mortal danger / to give sb no way out / with one's back to the wall / looking death in the eye / part of idiom 置之死地而後生|置之死地而后生
pò