乐昌破镜 — “Refers to a separated couple being reunited”

Q: What is the Chinese definition of 乐昌破镜?

比喻夫妻分离。同“乐昌分镜”

乐昌破镜 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “refers to a separated couple being reunited”. Often after experiencing difficulties or a long separation. Literally, “Lechāng's broken mirror”.

Frequency

乐昌破镜 Pronunciation and Pinyin

乐昌破镜 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
乐	lè	5	happy, music, enjoy
昌	chāng	8	flourish, proper speech
破	pò	10	break, destroy, or defeat
镜	jìng	16	mirror, lens, or glasses

Example Sentence with 乐昌破镜

这对夫妻虽然经历了十年的分隔，但最终乐昌破镜，又走到了一起，令人感动。

Although this couple endured a decade of separation, they eventually experienced a Lechāng broken mirror reunion and got back together, which was deeply touching.

Origin and Story of 乐昌破镜

When the Southern Chen Dynasty was on the verge of collapse, Xu Deyan, the imperial son-in-law, and his wife, Princess Lechang, anticipated they would be separated. They broke a bronze mirror into two halves, each keeping one, and vowed to reunite by selling the broken mirror in the street on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

After the Chen Dynasty fell, Princess Lechang was taken into Yang Su's household.

On the appointed day, Xu Deyan, after much struggle, arrived in the capital as agreed. He found his wife by identifying the half-mirror being sold, and the couple was eventually reunited.