During the Tang Dynasty, the poet Jia Dao, after failing his imperial examination, became a monk. He had a deep passion for poetry and was exceptionally meticulous in his craft.

Once, he composed a line that roughly translates to 'A bird nests by the pondside tree, a monk *pushes* the moonlit gate.' He was uncertain about the verb 'pushes' (推) and went to consult the renowned literary master Han Yu.

Han Yu suggested changing 'pushes' to 'knocks' (敲), creating the line 'A bird nests by the pondside tree, a monk *knocks* the moonlit gate.' Han Yu was deeply impressed by Jia Dao's rigorous and diligent approach to refining his verses.