📖 Meaning
To withdraw from the secular world and become a Buddhist monk. 桑门 (sāng mén) is an older variant transcription of 沙门 (shāmén), the Chinese rendering of the Sanskrit 'śramana', meaning a wandering ascetic or Buddhist monk.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from a passage by Qing dynasty writer 钮琹 (Niú Qín) in his work 《觚剩·树怪》. The passage recounts how Shitao, a Buddhist monk who was originally a member of the fallen Ming dynasty imperial clan, fled the secular world and took monastic vows. After the collapse of his dynasty, he built a hermitage on Mount Huang in southern Anhui, devoting himself to Buddhism and to painting in reclusive solitude.
💡 Example Usage
明朝覆灭后，许多前朝遗民选择遁迹桑门，以求远离尘世纷扰。
After the fall of the Ming dynasty, many former loyalists chose to renounce the world and become monks, seeking refuge from secular turmoil.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 遁迹桑门
- Pinyin: dùn jì sāng mén
- Literal Translation: flee, trace, mulberry, gate
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4