手舞足蹈

From the Classic of Poetry, great preface (《詩經·大序》):

詩者，志之所之也，在心為志，發言為詩，情動於中，而形於言，言之不足，故嗟歎之，嗟歎之不足，故永歌之，永歌之不足，不知手之舞之、足之蹈之也。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]

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诗者，志之所之也，在心为志，发言为诗，情动于中，而形于言，言之不足，故嗟叹之，嗟叹之不足，故永歌之，永歌之不足，不知手之舞之、足之蹈之也。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Shī zhě, zhì zhī suǒ zhī yě, zài xīn wéi zhì, fā yán wéi shī, qíng dòng yú zhōng, ér xíng yú yán, yán zhī bùzú, gù jiētàn zhī, jiētàn zhī bùzú, gù yǒng gē zhī, yǒng gē zhī bùzú, bùzhī shǒu zhī wǔ zhī, zú zhī dǎo zhī yě. [Pinyin]

Poetry is the product of earnest thought. Thought [cherished] in the mind becomes earnest; exhibited in words, it becomes poetry. The feelings move inwardly, and are embodied in words. When words are insufficient for them, recourse is had to sighs and exclamations. When sighs and exclamations are insufficient for them, recourse is had to the prolonged utterances of song. When those prolonged utterances of song are insufficient for them, unconsciously the hands begin to move and the feet to dance.

and Li Lou I, Mencius (《孟子·離婁上》):

孟子曰："仁之實，事親是也；義之實，從兄是也。智之實，知斯二者弗去是也；禮之實，節文斯二者是也；樂之實，樂斯二者，樂則生矣；生則惡可已也，惡可已，則不知足之蹈之、手之舞之。" [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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孟子曰："仁之实，事亲是也；义之实，从兄是也。智之实，知斯二者弗去是也；礼之实，节文斯二者是也；乐之实，乐斯二者，乐则生矣；生则恶可已也，恶可已，则不知足之蹈之、手之舞之。" [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

Mèng zǐ yuē: "rén zhī shí, shì qīn shì yě; yì zhī shí, cóng xiōng shì yě. Zhì zhī shí, zhī sī èr zhě fú qù shì yě; lǐ zhī shí, jié wén sī èr zhě shì yě; yuè zhī shí, yuè sī èr zhě, yuè zé shēng yǐ; shēng zé è kě yǐ yě, è kě yǐ, zé bù zhī zú zhī dǎo zhī, shǒu zhī wǔ zhī. " [Pinyin]

Mencius said, 'The richest fruit of benevolence is this: the service of one's parents. The richest fruit of righteousness is this: the obeying one's elder brothers. The richest fruit of wisdom is this: the knowing those two things, and not departing from them. The richest fruit of propriety is this: the ordering and adorning those two things. The richest fruit of music is this: the rejoicing in those two things. When they are rejoiced in, they grow. Growing, how can they be repressed? When they come to this state that they cannot be repressed, then unconsciously the feet begin to dance and the hands to move.'

and the Record of Music in the Book of Rites, (《禮記·樂記》):

故歌之為言也，長言之也。說之，故言之；言之不足，故長言之；長言之不足，故嗟嘆之；嗟嘆之不足，故不知手之舞之、足之蹈之也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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故歌之为言也，长言之也。说之，故言之；言之不足，故长言之；长言之不足，故嗟叹之；嗟叹之不足，故不知手之舞之、足之蹈之也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE

Gù gē zhī wèi yán yě, cháng yán zhī yě. Shuō zhī, gù yán zhī; yán zhī bù zú, gù cháng yán zhī; cháng yán zhī bù zú, gù jiē tàn zhī; jiē tàn zhī bù zú, gù bù zhī shǒu zhī wǔ zhī, zú zhī dǎo zhī yě. [Pinyin]

Hence, singing means the prolonged expression of the words; there is the utterance of the words, and when the simple utterance is not sufficient, the prolonged expression of them. When that prolonged expression is not sufficient, there come the sigh and exclamation. When these are insufficient, unconsciously there come the motions of the hands and the stamping of the feet..

手舞足蹈

1. dancing and gesticulating for joy
2. (traditional Chinese medicine) involuntary movements of the limbs; convulsions, hemiballismus, chorea, athetosis or myoclonus

• 跳舞 (tiàowǔ)
• 舞蹈 (wǔdǎo)