📖 Meaning
To value the modern while neglecting the ancient; to chase after contemporary trends and disregard classical tradition. It is equivalent to 厚今薄古 (favoring the present over the past). The phrase typically carries a critical tone, warning against abandoning proven classical substance in pursuit of novelty.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from Liu Xie's 'Wen Xin Diao Long · Tong Bian' (《文心雕龙·通变》), written during the Liang dynasty of the Southern Dynasties (南朝梁). Liu Xie traced how literary style shifted from the plain simplicity of the Yellow Emperor and Tang eras to the elaborate novelty of the early Song dynasty, arguing that the further writing strayed from antiquity, the weaker its flavor and vitality became. He coined '竞今疏古' to diagnose this decline, cautioning writers against competing for modern showiness at the expense of ancient substance. Zhu Ziqing later invoked the idiom in his essay 'Zheng Bian' to advocate a balanced, fair view of literary history.
💡 Example Usage
研究文学史应当客观公正，不可竞今疏古，否则便难以看清传统的真正价值。
In studying literary history one should remain objective and fair, never favoring the present at the expense of the past, or the true value of tradition becomes impossible to discern.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 竞今疏古
- Pinyin: jìng jīng shū gǔ
- Literal Translation: compete for the present, neglect the ancient
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4