📖 Meaning
Bo Le, the legendary judge of horses, once passed through the northern region of Ji and selected every fine horse there until the herds were emptied. The idiom describes a ruler or official who is exceptionally skilled at discovering and recruiting worthy talent, so that no capable person is overlooked.
📜 Origin Story
The saying comes from a preface by the Tang dynasty writer Han Yu titled "送石处士序" (Preface on Seeing Off the Recluse Shi), which states: "When Bo Le passes once through the plains of northern Ji, the horse herds are left empty." Bo Le (Sun Yang) was a famed ancient connoisseur of horses who could recognize a thoroughbred at a glance. Han Yu invoked the story as a metaphor for a leader who exhaustively identifies and gathers men of talent, and the phrase has been used this way ever since.
💡 Example Usage
新任市长善于发掘人才，颇有马空冀北之风。
The newly appointed mayor excels at discovering talent, as if he could empty a whole region of its finest horses.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 马空冀北
- Pinyin: mǎ kōng jì běi
- Literal Translation: horse, empty, Ji, north
- Category: Leadership
- Characters: 4