Chinese idioms like 「山中宰相」 represent a high level of language skill. This free guide helps you learn their meaning and use.
This time, our spotlight is on the idiom 「山中宰相」. Its meaning and how it’s applied are described below.
During the Liang Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties, Tao Hongjing lived in seclusion in Maoshan Mountain and refused to come out despite repeated invitations. Emperor Wu of Liang often asked him for advice on state affairs, so people called him the “Prime Minister in the Mountains.” A metaphor for a sage who lives in seclusion.
The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :
shān zhōng zǎi xiàng
while its Cantonese pinyin is :
saan1 jung3/jung1 joi2 seung2
The world of Chinese idioms is immense, with countless meanings and applications to discover. We hope these resources help you unlock the beauty of learning Chinese.
