📖 Meaning
An old literary convention in which beautiful women and fragrant plants serve as allegorical symbols for loyalty to the sovereign and patriotic devotion. The phrase originates from the symbolic imagery of Qu Yuan's 'Li Sao,' where such figures stand for steadfast subjects and the ruler.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase traces to the Han dynasty scholar Wang Yi's preface to 'Li Sao.' He explained that Qu Yuan's poem drew on the evocative technique of the Book of Songs, using auspicious birds and fragrant herbs to represent loyal, steadfast subjects, while spiritual beings and beautiful people served as metaphors for the ruler. Qu Yuan, a poet of the Warring States state of Chu, originally employed these symbols to express his devotion to his king and country. Over the centuries the imagery became a recognized convention in Chinese literary criticism.
💡 Example Usage
古诗词中常以美人香草来寄托诗人的政治抱负。
In classical poetry, beautiful women and fragrant herbs are often used to convey the poet's political aspirations.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 美人香草
- Pinyin: měi rén xiāng cǎo
- Literal Translation: beautiful person, fragrant grass
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4