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罄竹难书 (qing4 zhu2 nan2 shu1) - Not enough bamboo
By Zhang Ciyun |
June 28, 2009, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
Before Cai Lun invented the technology to make paper in AD 105, the ancient Chinese had tried many other materials as the medium for writing, including bones, tortoise shells and silk.
Of them all, bamboo was most widely used for nearly 1,000 years. Naturally this treelike grass, which flourishes in east and south China, has found its way into many Chinese sayings.
Today, one of the most popular Chinese idioms related to bamboo is qing4 zhu2 nan2 shu1 or literally, "all the bamboo, not enough to write it all."
This expression was first used to mean that even if you could cut down all the bamboo grown in the states of Chu and Yue for writing, you still wouldn't have enough space to record the crimes committed by Wang Mang, who lived during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC -- AD 24).
In the late years of the dynasty, Wang poisoned the Emperor Pingdi to death, and then ushered in the Xin Dynasty (AD 8-23), naming himself as its first emperor. After seizing power, Wang promulgated a series of unpopular policies to increase state revenues. He spent a lot of money from state coffers on extravagant temples and luxurious palaces to benefit his own family. In addition, he launched a number of bloody wars to suppress minority people living in remote areas.
Wang's brutal rule soon triggered loud outcries of anger all around the country. Thousands of desperate peasants and even his own troops began to rebel against him.
In a public denunciation of Wang, rebel generals first used the expression qing4 zhu2 nan2 shu1 to indicate that the usurper's crimes were too numerous to record them all. He called on the whole nation to support the rebel forces in overthrowing the Xin Dynasty.
In AD 23, rebel peasants overran the capital of Chang'an (today's Xi'an in Shaanxi Province), and stabbed the self-proclaimed emperor to death. This proved to be one of many crucial turning points in Chinese history.
Today, although most Chinese use paper or electronic devices for writing, they still cite this idiom associated with bamboo to describe any multitude of crimes committed by an individual or a group of people.
Of them all, bamboo was most widely used for nearly 1,000 years. Naturally this treelike grass, which flourishes in east and south China, has found its way into many Chinese sayings.
Today, one of the most popular Chinese idioms related to bamboo is qing4 zhu2 nan2 shu1 or literally, "all the bamboo, not enough to write it all."
This expression was first used to mean that even if you could cut down all the bamboo grown in the states of Chu and Yue for writing, you still wouldn't have enough space to record the crimes committed by Wang Mang, who lived during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC -- AD 24).
In the late years of the dynasty, Wang poisoned the Emperor Pingdi to death, and then ushered in the Xin Dynasty (AD 8-23), naming himself as its first emperor. After seizing power, Wang promulgated a series of unpopular policies to increase state revenues. He spent a lot of money from state coffers on extravagant temples and luxurious palaces to benefit his own family. In addition, he launched a number of bloody wars to suppress minority people living in remote areas.
Wang's brutal rule soon triggered loud outcries of anger all around the country. Thousands of desperate peasants and even his own troops began to rebel against him.
In a public denunciation of Wang, rebel generals first used the expression qing4 zhu2 nan2 shu1 to indicate that the usurper's crimes were too numerous to record them all. He called on the whole nation to support the rebel forces in overthrowing the Xin Dynasty.
In AD 23, rebel peasants overran the capital of Chang'an (today's Xi'an in Shaanxi Province), and stabbed the self-proclaimed emperor to death. This proved to be one of many crucial turning points in Chinese history.
Today, although most Chinese use paper or electronic devices for writing, they still cite this idiom associated with bamboo to describe any multitude of crimes committed by an individual or a group of people.
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