To have a meteoric rise; to achieve sudden and rapid success or prominence, especially in one's career or social status.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
The idiom 'Fei Huang Teng Da' originates from a poem by Han Yu, a prominent literary figure of the Tang Dynasty and one of the 'Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song.'
Han Yu's son, Han Fu, was known for being playful and not fond of studying in his youth. Concerned about his son's future, Han Yu penned a poem to inspire him to cultivate ambition and strive for a successful future, or to 'have a meteoric rise.'
In the poem, he contrasted different paths in life, urging his son to emulate the mythical 'Fei Huang' horse, which gallops swiftly to success, rather than being left behind like a common toad.
The lines 'At thirty, their bones are formed, one becomes a dragon, one a pig; Fei Huang gallops away, unable to look back at the toad' serve as a powerful metaphor, encouraging his son to pursue a path of achievement and distinction.