







吃闭门羹 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be denied entry or given a cold reception when visiting someone”. To be shut out. Literally, “Eat closed-door soup”.
In ancient Xuancheng, there was a courtesan named Shi Feng who was famously beautiful, charming, and skilled in singing and dancing. Many dissolute young masters and pleasure-seekers flocked to her establishment, often crowding it to its capacity.
Shi Feng would categorize her visitors by their status. For high-ranking guests, she would descend to greet them and personally offer them soup ( ). However, for those of lower status, she was unwilling to meet them. She would close her door, effectively making them 'eat closed-door soup,' which meant they were denied entry and coldly received.