Chinese Idiom: 暗送秋波 (An Song Qiu Bo)
English Translation: Secretly Sending Autumn Waves
pīn yīn: àn sòng qiū bō
Idiom Meaning: Originally, this idiom referred to secretly conveying romantic feelings through subtle glances; it has since evolved to imply flattery or covertly forming relationships, often with a negative connotation. “Autumn waves” describes the clear and bright eyes of a beautiful woman.
Historical Source: From the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms (《三国演义》) by Luo Guanzhong, Chapter 8.
Idiom Story:
During the late Eastern Han Dynasty, various warlords vied for power amidst chaos, with a foolish emperor and the powerful minister Dong Zhuo “taking the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords,” which made him arrogant and unassailable. At that time, Wang Yun, the Minister of State, resolved to eliminate this tyrant.
Wang Yun had a beautiful concubine named Diao Chan, known for her stunning beauty. Wang Yun intended for Diao Chan to win the heart of Dong Zhuo’s adopted son, Lu Bu. He arranged for Diao Chan to serve wine to Lu Bu, during which she subtly conveyed her feelings through enchanting glances, leaving Lu Bu utterly captivated.
Subsequently, Wang Yun orchestrated a meeting between Diao Chan and Dong Zhuo, promising her hand to the tyrant. This created a bitter rivalry in Lu Bu, who felt a deep sense of injustice over Diao Chan’s forced engagement to Dong Zhuo, ultimately leading him to assassinate the minister.
From the lines in the book describing how “Lu Bu was infinitely delighted and frequently gazed at Diao Chan, who also sent him her affectionate glances,” people derived the idiom “暗送秋波.”
