Chinese Idiom: 分道扬镳 (Fen Dao Yang Biao)
English Translation: Follow different paths
pīn yīn: fēn dào yáng biāo
Idiom Meaning: It describes a situation where people or groups separate and follow their own paths or engage in their own activities, each pursuing their own goals.
Historical Source: The Book of Northern Dynasties: Biography of Hejian Gong Qi (《北史·魏诸宗室·河间公齐传》).
Idiom Story
Yuan Qi was a notable figure during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period in China, serving as a distinguished official of the Northern Wei Dynasty. He was highly respected by the emperor, who appointed him as Duke of Hejian.
Yuan Qi had a son named Yuan Zhi, who was exceptionally talented and well-read but also quite arrogant. The emperor valued Yuan Zhi and appointed him as the Prefect of Luoyang. When the capital was moved to Luoyang, the position of Prefect became equivalent to that of a high-ranking official in the capital.
In Luoyang, Yuan Zhi’s arrogance led him to disrespect other officials whom he deemed less educated. On one occasion, while Yuan Zhi was out, he encountered a carriage belonging to Li Biao, a higher-ranking official. Despite the etiquette that should have dictated Yuan Zhi yielding the road, he refused to do so, believing that Li Biao was beneath him.
Li Biao, seeing Yuan Zhi’s arrogance, confronted him and demanded to know why he did not show respect. Yuan Zhi dismissed him, arguing that as a local official, Li Biao was merely a resident of Luoyang, and local officials had no obligation to yield to residents.
The disagreement was brought before Emperor Xiaowen, who listened to both sides and found merit in their arguments. With a sense of humor, the emperor proposed a solution: “Since both of you have your own reasons, why not simply part ways and go your separate paths?”
The phrase “分道扬镳” thus emerged to describe situations where parties choose to separate and follow their own paths, reflecting the resolution to avoid further conflict by pursuing different directions.
