Chinese Idiom: 轻车熟路 (Qing Che Shu Lu)
English Translation: Light Car on Familiar Road
pīn yīn: qīng chē shú lù
Idiom Meaning: This idiom means being very familiar with a task or situation, making it easy to accomplish.
Historical Source: Han Yu’s Preface to the Departure of Shi Chushi (唐代韩愈《送石处士序》)
Idiom Story:
Shi Chushi, also known as Shi Hong, was a man from Heyang (modern-day Mengzhou, Henan) during the Tang dynasty. He had previously served as a registrar in Huangzhou but returned to Heyang to live in seclusion for ten years. In 810 AD, after Wu Chongyin was appointed as the military governor of Heyang, he invited Shi Hong to become his advisor. Han Yu wrote this preface to bid farewell to Shi Hong as he took up his new post.
The text begins with a vivid and engaging description of the process of inviting Shi Hong and highlights his talents in discerning capable individuals. It states:
“Wu Gong, the military governor of Heyang, began seeking virtuous scholars during the third month of his tenure. Someone recommended Mr. Shi. Wu Gong asked, ‘What about this Mr. Shi?’ The person replied, ‘Mr. Shi lives between the mountains of Song and Mang and the rivers of Ya and Gu. In winter, he wears a fur coat; in summer, a coarse cloth garment. His meals consist of a bowl of rice and a plate of vegetables. When offered money, he declines; when invited to go out, he never makes excuses to refuse. He does not respond to suggestions of taking office. He sits in a room surrounded by books. Discussing principles with him, debating the rights and wrongs of past and present matters, evaluating the merits and demerits of people, and predicting outcomes of events, his words flow like a river breaching its banks, rushing eastward. It’s like a team of four horses driving a light cart down a familiar road, assisted by outstanding charioteers like Wang Liang and Zao Fu; as bright as a candle’s light, accurate like divination with yarrow stalks and turtle shells.'”
This passage illustrates Wu Chongyin’s search for capable assistants and the profound respect for Shi Hong’s wisdom and knowledge. The comparison of Shi Hong’s eloquence to a river flowing freely and the driving of a light cart along a familiar path emphasizes the ease with which he navigates complex discussions and situations.
Over time, the phrase “若驷马驾轻车就熟路” (like a team of horses driving a light cart on a familiar road) was simplified and extended into the idiom “轻车熟路,” which is now used to express how familiarity makes tasks much easier to accomplish.
