📖 Meaning
This idiom refers to magnificent imperial carriages adorned with images of mythical birds. It describes the luxurious and ornate transportation reserved for royalty and high nobility in ancient China. The term evokes the grandeur and solemnity of imperial processions.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom is a compound formed from two synonymous phrases: 鸾舆 (luan-bird carriage) and 凤驾 (phoenix chariot). Both 鸾 and 凤 are mythical phoenix-like birds symbolizing auspiciousness and imperial authority in Chinese culture. Such carriages, decorated with bird motifs, were reserved for emperors and empresses, reflecting the celestial mandate of the ruler. No single classical text is credited as its definitive source.
💡 Example Usage
皇帝乘鸾舆凤驾出巡，沿途百姓夹道跪拜。
The emperor set out on an inspection tour in his magnificent phoenix-adorned carriage, and the common people knelt by the roadside as he passed.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 鸾舆凤驾
- Pinyin: luán yú fèng jià
- Literal Translation: luan bird carriage, phoenix chariot
- Category: Status
- Characters: 4