衡石量书 — “To diligently process an enormous volume of official documents”

衡石量书 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to diligently process an enormous volume of official documents”. Signifying a ruler's dedication and arduous effort in managing administrative affairs. Literally, “to measure documents by weight”.

Frequency

衡石量书 Pronunciation and Pinyin

衡石量书 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
衡	héng	16	weigh, measure, balance
石	shí	5	Rock, stone
量	liàng	12	measure, quantity, capacity
书	shū	4	book, write, document

Example Sentence with 衡石量书

老教授每日伏案工作，面对浩瀚的资料，几乎要衡石量书，才能完成他的研究。

The old professor worked at his desk daily, facing a vast amount of material; it was almost as if he were "weighing documents by stone" to complete his research.

Origin and Story of 衡石量书

In 221 BC, after unifying the six states, Emperor Qin Shi Huang grew increasingly arrogant. He often criticized Confucian scholars, deeming himself superior to all. His chancellors and ministers, fearing his wrath, became utterly submissive, adhering to his every command.

However, Lu Sheng and Hou Sheng were displeased with his tyrannical rule and constant pursuit of power. They remarked critically about his extreme diligence, stating that the emperor himself would 'measure books by stone,' dealing with an immense volume of official documents day and night, allowing himself no rest until a certain quota was met. This vivid description, though used in a critical context, conveyed his relentless dedication to managing administrative affairs.