Chinese Idiom: 画龙点睛 (Hua Long Dian Jing)
English Translation: Drawing a dragon and dotting its eyes
pīn yīn: huà lóng diǎn jīng
Idiom Meaning: This idiom metaphorically describes the act of highlighting key points in speech or writing that bring the entire work to life and add depth, clarity, and vividness.
Historical Source: “Records of Famous Paintings throughout History” (《历代名画记》) by Zhang Yanyuan during the Tang Dynasty.
Idiom Story:
During the Southern and Northern Dynasties period in China, there was a renowned painter named Zhang Sengyao (张僧繇) who was particularly skilled in painting figures and Buddhist imagery. The Emperor of the Liang Dynasty, who was a devout Buddhist, commissioned Zhang to paint four dragons on the walls of the Anle Temple in Jinling (modern-day Nanjing, Jiangsu).
Zhang’s dragons were so lifelike that they seemed almost real, yet he intentionally left them without eyes. When asked why, he explained, “It is easy to dot the eyes, but once I do, these dragons will break through the wall and fly away.” Despite his warning, the people insisted he add the eyes.
Reluctantly, Zhang picked up his brush and dotted the eyes of two of the dragons. At that moment, dark clouds gathered, thunder rumbled, and the dragons with the dotted eyes soared into the sky, leaving the other two dragons behind, still painted on the wall.
Though this story has a mythical quality, it highlights Zhang Sengyao’s exceptional artistic skill and creativity. The phrase “画龙点睛” has since become a metaphor for adding the finishing touch or essential detail that transforms something from good to extraordinary.