








盥耳山栖 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to live in reclusion”. Withdrawing from worldly affairs and refusing official positions, often implying a desire to maintain moral purity or escape corruption. Literally, “wash ears and dwell in mountains”.
In ancient times, Emperor Yao heard that Xu You, a highly respected and virtuous scholar, possessed great abilities, and wished to abdicate the throne to him. Upon hearing this, Xu You fled overnight to Mount Ji to live in reclusion, preferring a quiet, hermit-like existence.
Yao sent people to search for him and eventually found him on Mount Ji, inviting him to come out and rule as king. Xu You firmly refused. He felt that his ears had been defiled by hearing such an offer, so he went to the river and repeatedly washed them clean.

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Open the tool →盥耳山栖 (guàn ěr shān qī) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to live in reclusion”.
盥耳山栖 is pronounced guàn ěr shān qī in Mandarin Chinese.
Literally, 盥耳山栖 means “wash ears and dwell in mountains”. It is used to mean “to live in reclusion”.
盥耳山栖 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
盥耳:洗耳朵。比喻隐居不仕