Chinese Idiom: 近水楼台 (Jin Shui Lou Tai)
English Translation: The pavilion by the water gets the moonlight first
pīn yīn: jìn shuǐ lóu tái
Idiom Meaning: This idiom suggests that those who are in close proximity to power or authority are often the first to benefit from it. It implies a sense of favoritism and the idea that connections can lead to special privileges.
Historical Source: Qing Ye Lu (《清夜录》).
Idiom Story:
The phrase “先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐” (Worry before the world does, and enjoy after the world enjoys) is famously attributed to Fan Zhongyan, a prominent statesman of the Northern Song Dynasty, in his renowned essay, Yueyang Tower.
Fan Zhongyan faced a difficult childhood, losing his father at the age of two and growing up in poverty. He worked diligently and, at the age of twenty-three, left his hometown to study at the prestigious Yingtian Academy (present-day Shangqiu, Henan). To minimize time spent on meals, he would eat only thin porridge, even freezing it into blocks during winter to consume more efficiently. Throughout his five years of study, he often slept in his clothes. This early hardship shaped Fan into a clean and upright official once he entered the Song court.
During his tenure as governor of Hangzhou, many officials were promoted to desirable positions due to Fan Zhongyan’s recommendations. However, one officer named Su Lin, responsible for training troops and maintaining public order, did not receive a recommendation because he was away on duty.
When Su Lin sought an audience with Fan, he cleverly composed a poem, including the lines: “近水楼台先得月，向阳花木易为春,” which translates to “The pavilion by the water gets the moonlight first; flowers and trees facing the sun bloom easily.” On the surface, this implies that structures near water are the first to enjoy the moonlight, and plants that receive sunlight thrive more readily. However, Su Lin’s true intention was to express his dissatisfaction, suggesting that those close to Fan benefited first.
Upon reading the poem, Fan Zhongyan couldn’t help but laugh and subsequently wrote a recommendation letter for Su Lin, helping him secure a desirable position.
Over time, Su Lin’s lines evolved into the idiom “近水楼台,” which conveys the notion of favoritism and the advantages of being close to those in power.
