
Chinese Idiom: 名落孙山 (Ming Luo Sun Shan)
English Translation: A name that falls behind Sun Shan
pīn yīn: míng luò sūn shān
Idiom Meaning: Refers to failing to make the list of successful candidates, particularly in the context of exams or selections.
Historical Source: Fan Gongou’s “Records of the Courtyard” (《过庭录》).
Idiom Story:
During the Song Dynasty, there was a man named Sun Shan, known for his humorous anecdotes, earning him the title of “Witty Talent.” One year, when the provincial examination approached, he prepared to travel to the city to take the exam. Just before his departure, a neighbor asked him to take his son along for the examination, and Sun Shan kindly agreed.
After arriving in the provincial capital and registering for the exam, the day of the results came. Sun Shan rushed to the announcement site, eager to see the results. Amidst the throng of people, he searched intently for his name and that of the neighbor’s son. However, after scanning through the list, he could not find either name, and disappointment began to set in.
Just when he was about to lose hope, he noticed the very last name on the list: “Sun Shan.” Elated, he exclaimed, “I passed! I passed!” He decided to return home immediately, leaving the neighbor’s son behind, who was dejected and defeated.
Upon reaching home, relatives and neighbors flocked to congratulate him on his success. The father of the boy from the neighboring village soon arrived, anxious to hear about his son’s results. Sun Shan, seeing the man’s concern, didn’t want to directly say that the boy had failed. Instead, he cleverly responded with a couplet: “解名尽处是孙山,贤郎更在孙山外” (“The last name on the list is Sun Shan, and your son’s name is still beyond Sun Shan”).
At first, the bystanders were puzzled by the lines, but as they reflected on the meaning, they understood that Sun Shan had been admitted, while the boy’s name had not even made it onto the list.
This incident led to the popularization of the phrase “名落孙山,” symbolizing someone whose name did not appear on the list of successful candidates.