Describes a situation where former acquaintances become estranged or inaccessible due to a significant disparity in social status, often after one enters a powerful or wealthy household.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Synonym:
Story:
During the Tang Dynasty, a scholar named Cui Jiao fell deeply in love with a maid from his aunt's household. Their affection was profound.
Later, the maid was sold to a powerful official (Lianshuai), and they could no longer meet.
One day, Cui Jiao encountered her on the road but was unable to speak with her. Deeply moved, Cui Jiao wrote a poem that included the lines: "Princes and nobles chase behind, Lü Zhu's tears fall on her silk kerchief. Once entered the noble's gate, deep as the sea, from then on, Xiao Lang is a stranger."