📖 Meaning
This idiom refers to renowned mountains and beautiful rivers, denoting celebrated landscapes of outstanding natural beauty. It is used to describe places famous for their scenic splendor, often in the context of travel or sightseeing.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Book of Jin (晋书), in the Biography of Sun Tong (孙统传), a scholar-official of the Eastern Jin dynasty. Sun Tong was known for his love of wandering freely through nature, devoting himself to exploring the countryside. The text records that he roamed at will and thoroughly investigated every famous mountain and scenic river without exception. From this account, the phrase came to denote celebrated landscapes of exceptional beauty.
💡 Example Usage
他一生游历名山胜川，足迹遍及大江南北。
He spent his life wandering through famous mountains and scenic rivers, leaving his footprints across the land.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 名山胜川
- Pinyin: míng shān shèng chuān
- Literal Translation: famous, mountain, scenic, river
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4