📖 Meaning
To be deeply immersed in and savoring beautiful music. 'Shāng' and 'zhēng' are two notes of the ancient Chinese pentatonic scale, and the idiom evokes the image of tasting and relishing each musical tone as if it were a delicacy. It is synonymous with 含宫咀徵.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from Bao Zhao, a renowned poet of the Liu Song dynasty during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period (5th century CE). In his poem 'Substitute White Ramie Dance Song Lyrics' (《代白紵舞歌辞》), he wrote the line '含商咀徵歌露晞, 珠履飒沓纨袖飞,' describing dancers accompanied by exquisite music. The idiom was later used by Tang dynasty poet Wen Tingyun in his poem 'The Tartar Pipe Song' (《觱篥歌》), further cementing its place in classical Chinese literature.
💡 Example Usage
老者独坐堂前含商咀徵，一曲琵琶诉尽平生。
The old man sat alone before the hall, savouring every note of the pipa melody that seemed to recount his entire life.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 含商咀徵
- Pinyin: hán shāng jǔ zhēng
- Literal Translation: hold, shāng note, savor, zhēng note
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4