Ashamed to be ranked below someone inferior (especially in literary or artistic reputation); disdaining to be second to a less capable person and striving for the top position.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
During the Tang Dynasty, poetry was a predominant literary form. Four literary figures, Wang Bo, Yang Jiong, Lu Zhaolin, and Luo Binwang, were particularly renowned and collectively known as the 'Four Paragons of Early Tang.' They were all famous for their poetry and were usually ranked in the order of 'Wang, Yang, Lu, Luo.'
Upon learning this traditional ranking, Yang Jiong reportedly exclaimed, 'I am ashamed to be before Lu and ashamed to be after Wang.' The phrase '耻居王后' (chǐ jū wáng hòu) directly references Yang Jiong's sentiment of being 'ashamed to be after Wang (Bo),' expressing a strong desire not to be outranked by someone, especially if one perceives oneself as equally or more capable.