What does "tan hua yi xian" (a fleeting show) mean? A detailed analysis of the idiom's meaning
The idiom "tan hua yi xian" comes from the Lotus Sutra, Chapter on Skillful Means: "The Buddha told Shariputra, 'Such wonderful Dharma, all Buddhas, the Tathagatas, teach it only at the right time, just as the udumbara flower blooms only once in a great while.'" So what does "tan hua yi xian" mean? Let's learn about it together below.
What does "tan hua yi xian" mean?
Chinese pronunciation: tán huā yī xiàn.
Idiom explanation: A metaphor for something beautiful or a scene that appears briefly and then quickly disappears. Tan hua (the night-blooming cereus): a flower with an extremely short blooming period; it mostly blooms at night; the flower is beautiful and fragrant.
Idiom comparison: ~ and "guo yan yun yan" (passing clouds and smoke); both can be used metaphorically for things that quickly disappear; ~ mostly refers to good people or things quickly disappearing; but "guo yan yun yan" is only used for things.
Idiom usage: subject-predicate structure; used as predicate, object, attributive; refers to things that quickly disappear.
Pronunciation tip: "yi" (one) cannot be read as "yì".
Writing tip: "tan" (tan) cannot be written as "tan" (altar).
Positive/negative analysis: a neutral idiom.
Synonyms: good times don't last long, fleeting
Antonyms: evergreen, lasting forever
English translation: be a flash in the pan
Tan hua, the udumbara flower. It blooms and then withers within a short time. From the Dirgha Agama, Sutra of Wanderings: "(The Buddha) told the bhikkhus, 'You should contemplate that the Tathagata appears in the world from time to time, just as the udumbara flower blooms only once in a great while.'" Later used as a metaphor for things that appear suddenly and vanish in an instant. Qing dynasty, Lu Yijing's<小螺庵病榻忆语>Inscription: "'Tan hua yi xian' is but a fleeting moment; the jade withers and the orchid fades, stirring gratitude for Lord Xie." Wu Yuzhang, "Recollections from Before and After the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 to Before and After the 1911 Revolution," Part Two: "Emperor Guangxu issued the edict of 'fixing the national policy,' expressing his determination to carry out reform, and thus began the fleeting 'Hundred Days' Reform.'" See also "you tan yi xian" (the udumbara blooms once).
Sentences using "tan hua yi xian":
1. Life is like a fleeting show, yet the posture of life is beautiful forever.
2. Xiaobei is an obedient child. She likes flowers -- especially the night-blooming cereus. She would stay awake all night, quietly keeping watch by the flowerpot, just to wait for the night-blooming cereus to bloom.
3. Although it was only a fleeting show, at least it had given and gained; its blooming brought people pleasure and delight.
4. The spirit of the flower applies to people the same way: be a night-blooming cereus, whose fragrance remains as before in one fleeting bloom.
5. The night is silent and no one speaks. In this utter stillness, a subtle fragrance is released in the dim light of the fine lake; the night-blooming cereus blooms but for an instant, then vanishes, quietly spreading its fragrance through the world without fame.
6. Oh, so this is "tan hua yi xian"? I clearly felt a sense of loss, a melancholy welling up, and my heart was filled to the brim with deep loneliness.
7. The beauty of fireworks lasts only an instant, just like a fleeting show.
8. Youth is like a dream, like a fleeting show, blooming with its most beautiful colors.
9. People often like to use "tan hua yi xian" as a metaphor for those rare things that are fleeting.
10. People often use "tan hua yi xian" to describe rare and uncommon things that appear briefly and then quickly vanish without a trace.
11. What does this show? It shows the rampant spread of trends and the decline of classics! Trends are like a fleeting show, like lightning or morning dew, gone in an instant.
12. There is no beauty more moving than a moment like a fleeting show -- extremely brief, yet frozen in people's hearts.
13. I took my pen and notebook, ready to go to a meeting. When I reached the classroom door, Teacher Yuan called me back. She calmly said to me, "You're not going to be a flash in the pan, are you?"
14. Many brilliant moments are like a fleeting show; in the instant the flower blooms, it is like an illusion and a dream. The flower does not know it is blooming, and the dreamer is even less aware that he is in a dream.
15. Our night-blooming cereus grew 13 buds this time in total. Tonight 4 of them bloomed. The open flowers were as big as a small rice bowl, and their faint fragrance could be smelled from far away. It's just a pity that it's a fleeting show!
16. In the vast world, the truly touching beauty is nothing other than the instant of a fleeting show -- brief, yet able to remain in the heart forever.
17. My friend and I both very much wanted to see the legendary night-blooming cereus bloom. The two of us sat foolishly in the yard waiting for it to open.
18. This year the night-blooming cereus is about to bloom again. I absolutely must see the peerless beauty of the fleeting show.
19. People often say that a fleeting show is too brief, and moreover the night-blooming cereus only blooms at night.
20. Beautiful things are always like a beautiful dream; it truly can be called a fleeting show!
21. This female star actually graced our shop with her presence. Although it was only a fleeting show, it still caused quite a stir.
22. The child's life was like a fleeting show, but the feeling his poetry brought people is eternal.
A brief introduction to the origin of the idiom "tan hua yi xian":
The Lotus Sutra, Chapter on Skillful Means
At that time, the Buddha told Shariputra: "In this assembly of mine, there are no more branches and leaves; there is only the pure and true. Shariputra, for those who are so arrogant, it is well that they withdraw. Now listen well, and I will explain it for you." Shariputra said: "Yes indeed! World-Honored One, we wish to hear it." The Buddha told Shariputra: "Such wonderful Dharma, all Buddhas and Tathagatas teach only at the right time, just as the udumbara flower blooms only once in a great while. Shariputra, you should believe what the Buddha says; his words are not false. Shariputra, the Buddhas teach the Dharma according to what is appropriate, and the meaning is hard to understand. Why is that? Because I use countless skillful means, various causes and conditions, and metaphorical expressions to expound all dharmas, and this Dharma cannot be understood by thought and discrimination. Only the Buddhas can know it."
At that time, the Buddha told Shariputra: "In this assembly of mine, there are no more branches and leaves; there is only the pure and true. Shariputra, for those who are so arrogant, it is well that they withdraw. Now listen well, and I will explain it for you." Shariputra said: "Yes indeed! World-Honored One, we wish to hear it." The Buddha told Shariputra: "Such wonderful Dharma, all Buddhas and Tathagatas teach only at the right time, just as the udumbara flower blooms only once in a great while. Shariputra, you should believe what the Buddha says; his words are not false. Shariputra, the Buddhas teach the Dharma according to what is appropriate, and the meaning is hard to understand. Why is that? Because I use countless skillful means, various causes and conditions, and metaphorical expressions to expound all dharmas, and this Dharma cannot be understood by thought and discrimination. Only the Buddhas can know it."