彭泽横琴 — “To possess refined and unconventional tastes”

Q: What is the Chinese definition of 彭泽横琴?

陶渊明摆了一张无弦琴。比喻志趣高雅不俗

彭泽横琴 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to possess refined and unconventional tastes”. To appreciate the essence of things beyond their superficial forms, often implying a noble or lofty spirit. Literally, “Pengze's horizontal zither”.

Frequency

彭泽横琴 Pronunciation and Pinyin

彭泽横琴 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
彭	péng	12	a Chinese surname
泽	zé	8	marsh, luster, favor, cleanse
横	héng	15	horizontal, sideways, across
琴	qín	12	stringed musical instrument

Example Sentence with 彭泽横琴

他虽身居简陋，却常抚无弦琴，如彭泽横琴，只求心中意趣，不为世俗所累。

Though he lives in humble conditions, he often 'plays' a stringless zither, embodying the spirit of Pengze's horizontal zither, seeking only inner delight and remaining untouched by worldly distractions.

Origin and Story of 彭泽横琴

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the renowned literati Tao Yuanming, unable to tolerate the corruption in officialdom, resolutely refused to bow for the sake of a meager salary, resigned as the magistrate of Pengze County, and returned to his hometown to farm and support himself.

He loved growing chrysanthemums, enjoyed drinking wine, and also liked playing the zither.

In his home, he kept a plain zither without any markings or strings. As he 'played' it, he would say: 'I only appreciate the essence within the zither; why bother with the sound of the strings?'