Chinese Idiom: 抛砖引玉 (Pao Zhuang Yin Yu)
English Translation: Throwing a brick to attract jade
pīn yīn: pāo zhuān yǐn yù
Idiom Meaning: This idiom refers to the act of offering a simple or crude idea or work in hopes of eliciting a better or more profound response from others. It carries a sense of humility, indicating that one is not seeking to present their best work but rather to stimulate discussion or creativity.
Historical Source: Historical Poetics (《历代诗话》)
Idiom Story:
During the Tang Dynasty, a talented poet from Shanyin (modern-day Xiu Wu County, Henan) named Zhao Yi (赵龈) was renowned for his poetry. His seven-character poem, “Evening Autumn in Chang’an,” particularly the line “A long flute sound as one leans against the tower,” captured the admiration of the great poet Du Mu, who praised it highly. Zhao Yi gained the nickname “Zhao Yilou” (赵倚楼) due to his poetic prowess.
At the same time, another poet named Chang Jian greatly admired Zhao Yi’s work and longed for a poem dedicated to him by Zhao. Anticipating that Zhao would visit Lingyan Temple in Suzhou during his travels, Chang Jian wrote the first two incomplete lines of a poem on the temple wall, hoping Zhao would finish it.
When Zhao Yi arrived at Lingyan Temple and saw the unfinished lines, he was inspired to complete them, crafting a full poem. Upon comparing the two parts, people realized that Zhao’s lines outshone Chang Jian’s, which were relatively inferior. Thus, Chang Jian’s lesser verses had successfully drawn out Zhao Yi’s exceptional poetry.
This interaction exemplifies the concept of “抛砖引玉,” where a modest or simple offering (the “brick”) successfully prompts a valuable or high-quality response (the “jade”).
