Chinese Idiom: 司空见惯 (Si Kong Jian Guan)
English Translation: Commonly seen by the Minister of Works
pīn yīn: sī kōng jiàn guàn
Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes something that is so common and frequently encountered that it no longer causes surprise. It conveys the idea that certain events or phenomena have become so familiar that they are considered mundane or ordinary.
Historical Source: Poem by Liu Yuxi (刘禹锡) in the Tang Dynasty, titled “赠李司空伎” (To the Entertainers of Li, the Minister of Works).
Idiom Story:
The idiom “司空见惯” comes from Liu Yuxi’s poem written during his time in Langzhou (now Changde, Hunan), after his political reform efforts failed. Liu Yuxi had been demoted to a lower official position but remained undeterred in his commitment to his ideals.
In the poem, Liu Yuxi describes a scene where he is invited by Li Shen (李绅), a former Minister of Works (司空), to a banquet. At the feast, Li Shen’s courtesans performed songs and dances, which Liu Yuxi found to be overly extravagant and repetitive. Although the performances were intended to be impressive, Liu Yuxi perceived them as merely common and uninspiring, thus reflecting his distaste for the ostentation.
The relevant lines from the poem are:
婴器梳头宫样妆，春风一曲杜韦娘。
司空见惯浑闲事，断尽江南刺史肠。
Translation:
“Courtesans styled their hair like palace beauties, singing ‘Du Wei Niang’ in the spring breeze. To you, a Minister of Works, such things are commonplace, but they make me feel weary.”
In this context, “司空见惯” signifies that, to someone in a high position accustomed to such performances, these events are nothing extraordinary or special. The idiom thus evolved to describe anything that is seen so often that it becomes unremarkable.
