📖 Meaning
This idiom describes writing that is ornately embellished with brilliant literary flourish, like carved ornaments adorned with rich colors. It emphasizes a showy, elaborate prose style that prioritizes decorative language. It often carries a subtly critical tone, implying that such华丽 may come at the expense of substance or accuracy.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Tang Dynasty work 'Shitong Jianzhi' (史通鉴识) by the historian Liu Zhiji. Liu Zhiji was a renowned scholar who critically examined historical writing practices. In this passage, he lamented that historians pursued flowery, ornate prose—describing it as 'carved compositions and elaborate colors'—making it impossible for their works to qualify as true factual records. The phrase thus arose as a critique of valuing literary decoration over truthful documentation.
💡 Example Usage
这篇文章雕章缛彩，辞藻华丽，却缺乏真情实感。
This essay is ornately embellished with brilliant flourish and gorgeous diction, yet lacks genuine feeling.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 雕章缛彩
- Pinyin: diāo zhāng rù cǎi
- Literal Translation: carve, composition, elaborate, color
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4