📖 Meaning
A metaphor for holding an official position or possessing splendor that cannot be seen or appreciated by others. It conveys the frustration of having prestige with no audience to witness it. Equivalent to the idiom 衣绣夜行 (wearing embroidered clothes while walking at night).
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Han dynasty divination text 《易林·小过之否》 by Jiao Gan (焦赣), which reads: 'Wearing embroidered garments and traveling at night, one meets with the lord, removes troubles and dispels confusion, so that the lord is free from worry.' The underlying imagery draws on the classical idea that fine clothing worn in the dark goes unseen — just as an official's glory is wasted without an audience. The same metaphor appears in the story of Xiang Yu, who lamented that wealth and power without returning home in triumph was like wearing brocade at night where no one could admire it.
💡 Example Usage
他官居高位却无人知晓，犹如衣绣夜游，令人惋惜。
He holds a high position yet remains unknown to all, like wearing embroidered clothes while walking at night — a lamentable waste.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 衣绣夜游
- Pinyin: yī xiù yè yóu
- Literal Translation: wear, embroidery, night, travel
- Category: Status
- Characters: 4