shocking; appalling; horrifying; causing great alarm or astonishment; sensational.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Antonym:
Story:
During the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, Yang Guang, Wang Shao, a scholar in the Imperial Library, often pleased the emperor with outlandish remarks.
He once falsely reported that someone had caught a turtle with four characters "天下杨兴" (The Yang family will prosper eternally) on its belly, supposedly foretelling the enduring prosperity of the Yang dynasty. When the empress passed away, Wang Shao claimed that she was a Bodhisattva reincarnated, who had now merely returned to heaven.
Although these "骇人视听" (shocking to the sight and hearing) preposterous statements were scorned by discerning individuals, they delighted Emperor Yang Guang. Consequently, Wang Shao remained in his position as scholar for nearly twenty years.
The idiom "骇人视听" is now commonly written as "骇人听闻".