📖 Meaning
An old term referring to the classics established by sages and the commentaries written by worthy scholars. Together these form the revered canon at the heart of Confucian scholarship. The phrase evokes the foundational textual tradition of classical Chinese learning and moral instruction.
📜 Origin Story
This phrase appears in a letter by the Tang dynasty scholar Han Yu titled 'Reply to Imperial Censor Yin' (答殷侍御书). Han Yu lamented that the sage-authored classics and worthy commentaries were being set aside and left unexamined, so their essential and profound meanings could no longer be found. The letter reflects his commitment to reviving classical Confucian learning during a period when Buddhist and Daoist influences were dominant. He advocated returning to the original texts of the sages to recover their wisdom and guidance.
💡 Example Usage
他一生研读圣经贤传，却从不拘泥于前人之说。
He spent his life studying the sage-authored classics and worthy commentaries, yet never rigidly clung to the interpretations of previous scholars.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 圣经贤传
- Pinyin: shèng jīng xián zhuàn
- Literal Translation: sage, classic, worthy, commentary
- Category: Knowledge
- Characters: 4