📖 Meaning
Equally valuable as something worth multiple connected cities. It describes things that are equally precious or comparable in worth. The phrase alludes to the legendary Heshi Bi jade, said to be worth fifteen cities.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the 'Book of Liang' (梁书), in the 'Biographies of Confucian Scholars: Fan Zhen' chapter. Fan Zhen was a philosopher of the Southern Dynasties Liang period, famous for his treatise 'On the Extinction of the Soul' (神灭论). In the passage, he compared outstanding talents of antiquity—Jin Ji and Jiu were said to be equally precious, like jade worth multiple cities, while the fine horses Hua Liu and Kui Li were both capable of galloping a thousand li. The phrase borrows the legend of the Heshi Bi jade to illustrate that certain individuals or things are of equal and extraordinary value.
💡 Example Usage
这两幅名画艺术价值相当，堪称等价连城。
These two famous paintings are of comparable artistic value, truly equally precious.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 等价连城
- Pinyin: děng jià lián chéng
- Literal Translation: equal, price, connected, cities
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4