不问苍生问鬼神

不問蒼生問鬼神

bú wèn cāngshēng wèn guǐshén

quotation

Meanings

1 not asking about the common people but about gods and ghosts
2 a ruler who neglects the welfare of his subjects to chase superstition (literally)

Characters

dark blue-green; vast

living beings; people

Examples

HSK 4

领导只关心排场，不管员工，真是不问苍生问鬼神。

Lǐngdǎo zhǐ guānxīn páichǎng, bùguǎn yuángōng, zhēnshì bú wèn cāngshēng wèn guǐshén.

The boss only cares about appearances and ignores the staff - truly not asking about the people but about ghosts.

HSK 7-9

李商隐讽刺皇帝‘不问苍生问鬼神’。

Lǐ Shāngyǐn fěngcì huángdì ' bú wèn cāngshēng wèn guǐshén '.

Li Shangyin satirised the emperor for 'not asking about the people but about ghosts and spirits.'

Tips

history

From 李商隐's Tang 《贾生》: 可怜夜半虚前席，不问苍生问鬼神. (Pitiful that at midnight he moved his mat forward in vain - he asked not about the people but about ghosts and gods.) A sharp indictment of Emperor Wen of Han, who summoned the talented 贾谊 only to question him about spirits.

usage

苍生 = the common people / 'the multitude.' The phrase is now a stock criticism of leaders who prioritise the trivial or supernatural over real governance.

Stroke Order

不 bù

问 wèn

苍 cāng

生 shēng

鬼 guǐ

神 shén