To study with extreme diligence and perseverance, often by employing self-disciplinary methods to stay awake and focused.
为了实现自己的学术梦想，她每天都刺股悬梁，刻苦钻研。
To achieve her academic dreams, she studied with extreme diligence and perseverance every day, embodying the spirit of 'ci gu xuan liang'.
Era:
Ancient
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The idiom 'Ci Gu Xuan Liang' combines two historical tales of extraordinary academic dedication.
During the Han Dynasty, the scholar Sun Jing was so dedicated to his studies that he would tie his hair to a beam above him. If he started to fall asleep, the pull on his hair would immediately wake him.
In the Warring States period, the strategist Su Qin, after a failure, resolved to study harder. To combat sleepiness during his late-night studies, he would stab his own thigh with an awl.
Both stories exemplify extreme self-discipline and perseverance in the pursuit of knowledge.
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