A good way to gain a greater understanding of a country and its culture is through its idioms. The following are examples of ancient idioms which reveal the ways in which Chinese people think and see the world.

Shui Luo Shi Chu (When the water subsides the rocks emerge)

This chengyu was originally coined by the famous poet Su Shi (苏轼), who reached great fame during the Song Dynasty. Su Shi was not just a poet but also a man of great knowledge and experience. In particular he was an outdoors man and much of his prose included descriptions of and references to the wonders of the natural world

Su Shi and some companions took a trip in a boat on the Yangtse River at a place known as Red Cliff. As the boat drifted along the river they were entranced by the beauty of the magnificent landscape . At one particularly profound moment Su Shi was struck with the poignant line “When the water subsides the rocks emerge", due to the fact that the water level of the river was low and large areas of rock were exposed to the eye. .

From this time on "When the water subsides the rocks emerge" took on a new meaning. These days the idiom is used when people wish to express the notion that with the passing of time all secrets shall become uncovered- like the rocks of the river.

"Baocang Huoxin" (Hidden Evil Intent)

This is a chengyu which means "hide malicious intent". "Baocang" means "conceal" whilst "huoxin" can be translated as "evil intention".

This saying is originally from a tale in a tome known as Zuo Zhuan (Annals of Zuo): during the Spring and Autumn Period, the ruler of the Zheng State arranged for minister's daughter to be betrothed to a man named Wei, who was the son of a military leader of the neighboring Chu State, so as to strengthen diplomatic ties with their dangerous neighbors. The Chu State’s rulers attempted to send troops in accompaniment of the wedding procession to the Zheng State.

The Chu’s malicious intent was seen by the wise Zheng rulers and they dispatched an envoy to decline the wedding procession before it reached the city. A disparaging message sent back to General Wei contained the a line to the effect of: “we will not fall folly to your undisclosed evil intent”. To this day, people hear this phrase when they have been ‘rumbled’