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桐花万里丹山路

桐花萬里丹山路
tónghuā wànlǐ dānshān lù
quotation

Meanings

  1. 1 ten thousand li of paulownia blossoms along the road to Cinnabar Mountain
  2. 2 a spreading path of glory for a prodigy or promising youth (the cinnabar mountain is the mythic home of phoenixes)
  3. 3 paulownia-flower, ten-thousand-li, cinnabar-mountain, road

Examples

HSK 7-9
他赞扬年轻学者，说前途像桐花万里丹山路。
Tā zànyáng niánqīng xuézhě, shuō qiántú xiàng tónghuāwànlǐdānshānlù.
He praised the young scholar, saying their prospects were like 'ten thousand li of paulownia blooms on the road to Cinnabar Mountain.'
HSK 7-9
诗句桐花万里丹山路描绘出华丽壮阔的意境。
Shījù tónghuāwànlǐdānshānlù miáohuì chū huálì zhuàngkuò de yìjìng.
The line 'paulownia blooms, ten thousand li to Cinnabar Mountain' paints a magnificent, expansive scene.

Tips

history
From 李商隐 (Li Shangyin, Tang, 9th c.), a poem praising the ten-year-old prodigy 韩偓 (Han Wo): 十岁裁诗走马成，桐花万里丹山路，雏凤清于老凤声 (the young phoenix's song is clearer than the old phoenix's). Phoenixes nest in paulownia trees and dwell on Cinnabar Mountain in Chinese mythology, so the line maps out the glorious path ahead of the young Han Wo.
usage
Canonically paired with 雏凤清于老凤声 ('the young phoenix's cry is purer than the old phoenix's'). A favorite quotation for praising a talented younger generation surpassing its elders.

Stroke Order

桐 tóng
花 huā
万 wàn
里 lǐ
丹 dān
山 shān
路 lù