📖 Meaning
A term from Chinese mythology referring to the celestial palace where the Heavenly Emperor resides. The 'pure capital' (清都) denotes the divine capital of heaven, while 'crimson gates' (绛阙) describes the red palace towers. It is synonymous with the idiom 清都紫微 and is used to evoke images of a grand, otherworldly heavenly court.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from Chinese mythological and Daoist traditions describing the celestial realm. 清都 (the Pure Capital) is the legendary seat of the Heavenly Emperor, while 绛阙 refers to the crimson-colored palace gates and watchtowers of the heavenly court. The imagery draws on ancient cosmological beliefs, recorded in works such as Daoist scriptures and classical poetry, that placed the supreme deity's residence among the stars. It shares the same mythological source as the related idiom 清都紫微, which also names the imperial palace of heaven.
💡 Example Usage
在古人想象中，天帝端坐于清都绛阙之中，俯瞰人间万象。
In the ancients' imagination, the Heavenly Emperor sat enthroned within the crimson gates of the celestial capital, gazing down upon all the phenomena of the mortal world.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 清都绛阙
- Pinyin: qīng dōu jiàng què
- Literal Translation: pure, capital, crimson, gate-tower
- Category: Status
- Characters: 4