大材小用 — “To use a highly capable person in a low-level position”

Xin Qiji, a renowned patriotic poet and lyricist of the Southern Song Dynasty, lost his father in childhood and was raised by his grandfather. He once studied under the famous pastoral poet Liu Zhan, alongside Dang Huaiying. Both were Liu Zhan's most prized students. One day, Liu Zhan asked them, "Confucius once asked his students about their aspirations. I also want to ask what you plan to do in the future?"

Dang Huaiying replied, "I study to become an official, to achieve fame and bring honor to my ancestors. I must become a high official in the imperial court; if I cannot, I will return home to live in seclusion and write pastoral poetry like our teacher." Liu Zhan was very pleased, repeatedly praising him and deeming his aspirations noble. Xin Qiji, however, answered, "I do not wish to be an official. I want to use my lyrics to expose all the thieves under heaven, and my sword to slay them all!" Liu Zhan was greatly astonished and urged Xin Qiji not to speak such 'wild words' again.

Thereafter, Xin and Dang's life paths diverged sharply: Xin Qiji bravely threw himself into the national struggle against the Jin invaders, becoming known as a patriotic poet. Dang Huaiying, on the other hand, mingled with the Jin ruling class, assisting and even collaborating with them. After the Jin invaded the south, Xin Qiji organized an uprising of over two thousand men in his hometown. Later, he led his forces to join the insurgent army organized by the peasant Geng Jing in Jinan Prefecture. Before long, the insurgent army accepted an imperial appointment to cooperate with the court's forces in striking against the invading Jin army. However, due to ostracism and suppression by the capitulationists, Xin Qiji later lived in idleness for a long time around Shangrao, Jiangxi.

In the spring of 1203, he was finally appointed Prefect of Shaoxing and Pacification Commissioner of Eastern Zhejiang. By this year, Xin Qiji was already sixty-four years old. To the west of Shaoxing was a place called Sanshan, where the famous patriotic poet Lu You resided in seclusion. Lu You was fifteen years older than Xin Qiji and was nearly eighty at the time. His patriotic verses were long admired by Xin Qiji, so shortly after taking office, Xin Qiji visited this senior figure. They discussed national affairs, feeling as if they had met too late. Lu You, having listened to Xin Qiji's analysis of the situation and his vision for national reunification, recognized him as a man of immense talent and hoped for his success.

The following spring, Emperor Ningzong issued an imperial decree, summoning Xin Qiji to the capital Lin'an to seek his opinions on the Northern Expedition against the Jin state. Xin Qiji informed Lu You of this, and Lu You felt it was a great opportunity for Xin Qiji to display his talents, feeling happy for him. To encourage Xin Qiji to fully utilize his abilities, Lu You specifically wrote a long poem for him. In the poem, he wrote that 'Xin Qiji is a figure akin to ancient great statesmen and strategists like Guan Zhong and Xiao He, yet now serving as Pacification Commissioner of Eastern Zhejiang is truly using great talent for small tasks.' He encouraged him to strive for the recovery of the Central Plains and not to be discouraged by setbacks or unfulfilled ambitions. At the age of sixty-six, this patriotic hero, who was consistently underemployed, finally passed away in grief and indignation.