📖 Meaning
Refers to the Qing dynasty Provincial Education Commissioner (学政), respectfully called 宗师, arriving at his assigned region to preside over examinations. Historically it describes the official's formal tour of inspection and testing in the provinces under his jurisdiction. By extension, it denotes an authority arriving to oversee an important examination or selection process.
📜 Origin Story
From the Qing dynasty novel Rulin Waishi (The Scholars) by Wu Jingzi, Chapter 4. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the 学政 (Provincial Education Commissioner) was colloquially and respectfully addressed as 宗师. In the original passage, a character surnamed Yan recalls that the previous year, when the Education Commissioner arrived to conduct examinations, he was fortunate to receive a recommendation (岁荐). The phrase thus became fixed as a term for the commissioner's official tour to administer scholar-selection exams.
💡 Example Usage
听闻宗师案临本府，各县童生纷纷赴考。
Hearing that the Education Commissioner had arrived to preside over the prefecture, candidates from every county rushed in to take the exam.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 宗师案临
- Pinyin: zōng shī àn lín
- Literal Translation: education commissioner, preside, arrive
- Category: Action
- Characters: 4