东山再起 — “To make a comeback”

In August 383 AD, Fu Jian personally led an army of 870,000 from Chang'an. On the southern roads, dust clouds billowed as infantry, cavalry, vehicles, horses, and baggage stretched for nearly a thousand li. A month later, Fu Jian's main force reached Xiangcheng (south of modern-day Shenqiu, Henan), the Yizhou navy sailed eastward along the river, and troops from north of the Yellow River arrived at Pengcheng (modern-day Xuzhou, Jiangsu). Along a battle line stretching over ten thousand li from east to west, the Former Qin army advanced by both land and water, closing in on Jiangnan.

This news reached Jiankang, and Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, along with the civil and military officials in the capital, became alarmed. The Jin army and people were unwilling to let Jiangnan fall into the hands of Former Qin, and everyone hoped that Prime Minister Xie An would make a decision.

Xie An, from Chenjun Yangxia (modern-day Taikang, Henan), came from an aristocratic family. In his youth, he was good friends with Wang Xizhi, often touring the mountains and rivers of Dongshan in Kuaiji, composing poems, and discussing literature. He had a great reputation among the literati of his time, and everyone considered him very talented. However, he preferred to live in seclusion in Dongshan, unwilling to serve as an official. When someone recommended him for office, he resigned after just over a month.

At that time, a saying circulated among the literati: "If Xie An does not come out to serve, what will the common people do?" It was not until he was over forty that he resumed his official career. Because Xie An had long lived in seclusion in Dongshan, his return to office later came to be known as "Dongshan Zaiqi" (East Mountain rises again).