Chinese Idiom: 崇山峻岭 (Chong Shan Jun Ling)
English Translation: Lofty and steep mountains and ridges
pīn yīn: chóng shān jùn lǐng
Idiom Meaning: Describes mountains that are steep and towering; “崇” means high, and “峻” means steep.
Historical Source: From Wang Xizhi’s 兰亭集序 (Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection) during the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
Idiom Story:
The 兰亭集序 was composed in the ninth year of the Yonghe era (AD 353). On the third day of the third lunar month, Wang Xizhi gathered with over forty famous scholars, including Sun Tong, Sun Chao, and Xie An, at the Orchid Pavilion in Kuaiji Mountain Yin (modern-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang). The event was lively, with participants composing poems, which Wang later compiled into a collection, accompanied by this preface that captured the atmosphere and the feelings of those present.
The opening lines of the preface read:
“In the ninth year of Yonghe, in the year of the Gui Chou, during the early spring of late spring, we gathered at the Orchid Pavilion in Kuaiji Mountain Yin to hold the ritual of Xu Xi. All the distinguished scholars came together, both young and old. This place has lofty and steep mountains, lush forests, and tall bamboo groves; there are also clear streams and rushing torrents, reflecting the surroundings.”
In this passage, “崇山峻岭” vividly conveys the beauty of the landscape where the gathering took place. Wang Xizhi uses this phrase to emphasize the grandeur of the mountains that framed the event, creating a picturesque setting that inspired creativity and camaraderie among the scholars.
The lush scenery, with its steep mountains and dense forests, highlights the harmonious relationship between nature and human activities, as the gathering took place in an environment that celebrated both natural beauty and intellectual companionship. This phrase has since become a commonly used idiom to describe impressive mountainous landscapes.
