Chinese lesson: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon - A Movie and a Chinese Idiom. 【卧虎藏龙】
Today we're going to talk about a movie and the Chinese idiom behind it.
Many of you must have watched the movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". I used to see many people complaining about how the movie was badly named, or people discussing what on earth the title means. Here's a little clarification.
The name "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is a literal translation of the Chinese idiom "卧虎藏龙", which describes a place that is full of talented or extraordinary people who remain hidden and undiscovered, or literally means "talented or extraordinary people hidden from view.". It is from a poem of the ancient Chinese poet Yu Xin (513-581) that reads "暗石疑藏虎，盘根似卧龙", meaning "behind the rock in the dark likely hides a tiger, and the coiling giant root resembles a crouching dragon."
The famous ancient strategist Zhuge Liang (181–234), in of the Three Kingdoms period, had a nickname called 诸葛卧龙 (Zhu Ge Wo Long). Zhu Ge is the family name. Wo Long is Crouching Dragon. The story is that before he was invited to be the chancellor of Liu Bei, the Shu's king, Zhuge Liang was a hermit living in Longzhong as a regular farmer. But Liu heard of (Zhuge Liang) his name and knew he got possessed great talent and capability, so Liu visited him the strategest for three times, hoping that he could would be Liu's strategist. After refusing Liu twice, Liang came to be was touched by Liu's compassion towards his subjects, as well as his caring for the people and his sincerity and accepted his third invitation. at the third time. Now you know why he was called 诸葛卧龙.
For those who saw the film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", the female protagonist's Jen's nickname, Jiaolong, is "delicate dragon" in Chinese. And Lo's name, Xiaohu, means "little tiger". So the title means all the main characters (the talented and extraordinary) in generally as well as Jen and Lo specifically.
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[Summary]
卧虎藏龙 (Pinyin: wò hǔ cáng lóng): used to describe a place that is full of talented or extraordinary people who remain hidden and undiscovered, or simply talented or extraordinary people hidden from view.
The idiom is used often in a admiring or approval sense. For example:
* 这个小镇真是卧虎藏龙！
This little town really has many talented/extraordinary people!
* 贵公司真是卧虎藏龙。
Your company really has many talented/extraordinary people.
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[Fun Stuff]
A Love Before Time - the theme song of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPPRNvbjcmA
Excellent research! I enjoyed reading this.
