small and exquisite; dainty and delicate; petite and ingenious
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
During the Song Dynasty, the renowned poet Xin Qiji was building a mountain path at his Calabash Spring Villa when he discovered a towering stone cliff. Impressed by its grandeur, he named it 'Cangbi' (Azure Cliff).
When word spread, many people came to visit, but upon seeing it, they mocked Xin Qiji, suggesting he was exaggerating its magnificence.
In response, Xin Qiji composed a ci poem in front of them, which included the lines: 'Do not laugh that my Azure Cliff seems small, its layered form aspires to touch the sky. Only its owner truly understands its spirit. I harbor the ambition to be as majestic as Mount Tai and Mount Hua, not merely to be 'small and exquisitely delicate'.