Chinese Idiom: 萍水相逢 (Ping Shui Xiang Feng)
English Translation: Meeting by Chance Like Floating Duckweed
pīn yīn: píng shuǐ xiāng féng
Idiom Meaning: Refers to the chance meeting of unfamiliar people. “萍” (píng) refers to floating duckweed, while “逢” (féng) means to encounter.
Historical Source: From Wang Bo’s 《滕王阁序》 (Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng) during the Tang Dynasty.
Idiom Story:
In 《滕王阁序》, Wang Bo expresses his feelings of frustration and sadness at being unrecognized and unable to fulfill his ambitions. He poignantly reflects on the transient nature of life and the fleeting moments of connection between individuals.
In one passage, he writes:
“……关山难越，谁悲失路之人? 萍水相逢，尽是他乡之客。怀帝阍而不见，奉宣室以何年?”
This can be translated to:
“The treacherous mountains are difficult to cross; who sympathizes with those who are lost on the road? We are like floating duckweed meeting by chance, all of us are guests in a foreign land. I long for the emperor but find no opportunity to pay my respects; I wonder when I will have the chance to be summoned like Jia Yi to the Xuan Room.”
In this context, “失路” (lost on the road) symbolizes those who are unsuccessful or feel out of place in life. Wang Bo compares himself and others to floating duckweed that drifts aimlessly in water, emphasizing the randomness of their encounters. Each person is a traveler in unfamiliar territory, highlighting the loneliness and transience of their existence.
He further reflects on his longing for recognition and the missed opportunities to serve the emperor, invoking the historical figure Jia Yi, who was once favored but fell from grace. Wang Bo’s words resonate with the idea that life is full of serendipitous meetings, yet those connections are often fleeting and imbued with a sense of melancholy.
Thus, “萍水相逢” captures the essence of unanticipated encounters among strangers, reminding us of the unpredictability of life and the shared experiences that connect us, even if just momentarily.
