風雲際會
Chinese
| wind and clouds; heavy wind and many clouds; storm | to come across; to converge | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (風雲際會) | 風雲 | 際會 | |
| simp. (风云际会) | 风云 | 际会 | |
Etymology
From The Book of Later Han, Volume 21 (《後漢書·耿純傳》):
- 大王以龍虎之姿，遭風雲之時，奮迅拔起，期月之閒兄弟稱王。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Book of the Later Han, circa 5th century CE
- Dàwáng yǐ lónghǔ zhī zī, zāo fēngyún zhī shí, fènxùn báqǐ, qīyuè zhījiān xiōngdì chēngwáng. [Pinyin]
- My lord, you rose swiftly and spiritfully with the bearing of a dragon and tiger, meeting the exact moment of wind and clouds. In but a single month's time, you and your brothers all became noble.
大王以龙虎之姿，遭风云之时，奋迅拔起，期月之间兄弟称王。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]
Which is allusive to Commentaries on the Book of Changes, Hexagram 1 (《易經·乾·文言》), ascribed to Confucius:
- 子曰：“同聲相應，同氣相求；水流濕，火就燥，雲從龍，風從虎；聖人作而萬物覩。” [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: I Ching, 11th – 8th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Zǐyuē: “Tóng shēng xiàng yìng, tóng qì xiàng qiú; shuǐ liú shī, huǒ jiù zào, yún cóng lóng, fēng cóng hǔ; shèngrén zuò ér wànwù dǔ.” [Pinyin]
- The Master said,‘Notes of the same key respond to one another; creatures of the same nature seek one another; water flows towards the place (low and) damp; fire rises up towards what is dry; clouds follow the dragon, and winds follow the tiger, (so) the sage makes his appearance, and all look to him.’
子曰：“同声相应，同气相求；水流湿，火就燥，云从龙，风从虎；圣人作而万物睹。” [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin: fēngyúnjìhuì
- Zhuyin: ㄈㄥ ㄩㄣˊ ㄐㄧˋ ㄏㄨㄟˋ
- Tongyong Pinyin: fongyúnjìhuèi
- Wade–Giles: fêng1-yün2-chi4-hui4
- Yale: fēng-yún-jì-hwèi
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: fengyunjihhuey
- Palladius: фэнъюньцзихуэй (fɛnʺjunʹczixuej)
- Sinological IPA (key): /fɤŋ⁵⁵ yn³⁵ t͡ɕi⁵¹⁻⁵³ xu̯eɪ̯⁵¹/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: fung1 wan4 zai3 wui6
- Yale: fūng wàhn jai wuih
- Cantonese Pinyin: fung1 wan4 dzai3 wui6
- Guangdong Romanization: fung1 wen4 zei3 wui6
- Sinological IPA (key): /fʊŋ⁵⁵ wɐn²¹ t͡sɐi̯³³ wuːi̯²²/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Middle Chinese: pjuwng hjun tsjejH hwajH
Idiom
風雲際會
- Describing the meeting of the ruler and his official.
- 社稷經綸地，風雲際會期。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
- From: c. 766, 杜甫 (Du Fu),《夔府書懷四十韻》, transl. Stephen Owen
- Shèjì jīnglún dì, fēngyún jìhuì qī. [Pinyin]
- Altars of Earth and Grain, place to order affairs,
wind and cloud, the moment of conjunction [referring to the newly enthroned Emperor Suzong, before whom officials from all quarters, the writer included, came to Fengxiang to pay homage].
社稷经纶地，风云际会期。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]
- (figurative) fortuitous circumstances which give free play to one's ability