







御沟红叶 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a fated romantic encounter”. Often originating from a poem written on a red leaf floating from a palace moat, symbolizing a serendipitous love story or an extraordinary connection between two people. Literally, “Imperial moat red leaves”.
During the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Xizong toured Sichuan and brought along Fangzi, a talented court lady known for her literary skills.
One day, feeling confined in the palace, she inscribed a poem on a red leaf: 'How swift the flowing stream? In the deep palace, days are idly spent. With gratitude, I thank you, red leaf, go forth into the human world.' She then cast the leaf into the imperial moat.
Later, a scholar named Li Yin from Xiangzhou happened to pick up this very leaf.
Years passed, and by a twist of fate, Fangzi and Li Yin met at a commoner's house in the mountains. Fangzi recognized her poem on the red leaf, revealing their extraordinary connection, and they subsequently became a harmonious couple, exemplifying a fated romance.

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Open the tool →御沟红叶 (yù gōu hóng yè) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a fated romantic encounter”.
御沟红叶 is pronounced yù gōu hóng yè in Mandarin Chinese.
Literally, 御沟红叶 means “Imperial moat red leaves”. It is used to mean “a fated romantic encounter”.
御沟红叶 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
御沟:流经宫苑的河道。指红叶题诗的故事,后用以比喻男女奇缘。亦作“御沟流叶”、“红叶之题”。