Chinese Idiom: 王侯将相 (Wang Hou Jiang Xiang)
English Translation: Princes, marquises, generals, and ministers
pīn yīn: wáng hóu jiàng xiàng
Idiom Meaning: Refers to high-ranking officials and aristocrats in the feudal society; often used to denote the nobility or those in positions of significant power and privilege.
Historical Source: Records of the Grand Historian: The Biographies of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang (《史记·陈涉世家》).
Idiom Story
In the historical context of the late Qin Dynasty, Chen Sheng, a significant figure in Chinese history, led the first major peasant uprising against the Qin Dynasty’s rule. Chen Sheng’s story is recorded in the “Chen Sheng and Wu Guang” section of Sima Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian.
In the account, Chen Sheng and his fellow rebel Wu Guang mobilized a revolt against the oppressive Qin regime. Chen Sheng cleverly used propaganda to rally support, including placing a message in a fish belly declaring “Chen Sheng King” and creating a scene of chaos with fire and fox calls to incite rebellion.
The narrative describes how Wu Guang, who was well-liked among the soldiers, took advantage of a situation where two Qin officers were drunk. He deliberately provoked the officers, resulting in them beating him. Wu Guang then seized the opportunity to kill the officers, with Chen Sheng assisting in the act. They then addressed the soldiers, declaring that the failure to meet the deadline meant severe punishment, and emphasized that even if they were to die, they should do so in a way that would make a significant impact rather than be relegated to a life of hardship and death in exile. They argued that high-ranking nobles and officials were not born into their positions but were individuals like themselves who had risen to power.
From this story, the idiom “王侯将相” emerged, symbolizing the high-ranking nobles and powerful figures of feudal society and highlighting the notion that such positions were not predetermined but could be attained through exceptional actions.
