He said confidently: our generation can climb the ninth heaven to pluck the moon, and dive the five seas to catch turtles.
Tips
history
From Mao Zedong's 1965 poem 《水调歌头·重上井冈山》: 可上九天揽月，可下五洋捉鳖，谈笑凯歌还 — 'We may climb the ninth heaven to pluck the moon, or descend the five seas to catch the giant turtle; laughing and singing, we return in triumph.' The Chinese lunar mission Chang'e adopted 揽月 as its motto.
usage
Almost always cited together with its twin line 可下五洋捉鳖 ('able to descend the five seas to catch the giant turtle'). Frequently invoked in speeches about China's aerospace and deep-sea programs.
