Chinese Idiom: 白面书生 (Bai Mian Shu Sheng)
English Translation: Pale-faced scholar
pīn yīn: bái miàn shū shēng
Idiom Meaning: his idiom is used to describe a young, inexperienced scholar who only knows book knowledge and lacks practical experience in dealing with real-world situations.
Historical Source: Book of Song (《宋书》), specifically from the biography of Shen Qingzhi
Idiom Story:
During the Southern and Northern Dynasties period, there was a man named Shen Qingzhi. From a young age, Shen Qingzhi was a skilled warrior and often returned victorious from battles. Due to his military prowess, he was eventually granted the title of “General of the Established Military” and was tasked with defending the borders of the kingdom.
One day, the emperor decided to expand the kingdom’s territory to the north. Upon hearing this, Shen Qingzhi strongly opposed the idea, recalling the failures of previous generals who had attempted the same. He advised the emperor, saying, “My lord, this is not a wise decision. Do you remember the past defeats of those who tried to expand northward? Please reconsider…”
However, the emperor grew irritated by Shen Qingzhi’s persistent objections and told him, “I don’t want to hear any more. I’ll have someone else discuss this with you!”
The emperor then summoned two civil officials to debate with Shen Qingzhi. Realizing that the officials had no military experience, Shen Qingzhi expressed his frustration to the emperor, saying, “My lord, governing a country is like managing a household. If you want to discuss farming, you should consult the farmers who work the fields every day. If you want to talk about weaving, you should ask the maidservants who weave. But now you intend to launch a military campaign, yet you are consulting two ‘pale-faced scholars’ who have never fought in a battle. How can this war be successful?”
The emperor, growing even more impatient, dismissed Shen Qingzhi’s concerns and declared, “Enough! My decision is final and will not be changed!” Ignoring Shen Qingzhi’s advice, the emperor proceeded with the campaign, which ultimately ended in a disastrous defeat.
The story illustrates the folly of relying solely on bookish knowledge without considering practical experience. The idiom “白面书生” came to represent someone who, despite their academic learning, is naive and inexperienced in real-world affairs, especially in matters requiring practical wisdom and experience.
