S4E05 | That’s Worth a Lot! | 价值连城
Saying: “to be very valuable”
Pinyin: Jiàzhí Liánchéng
Chinese: 价值连城
Today's CSP offering goes way way back to the time of Ancient Chu State during the 7th century BC. The famous "Hé Shì Bì" 和氏璧 Jade ornament discussed years ago in CSP episode S3E01 once again takes center stage. In this prequel to that S3E01 episode, we see how a poor farmer (He Shi) discovers this priceless jade and makes multiple failed attempts to hand it over to the King of Chu.
This is really the prequel to that Season 3 opener that saw King Zhaoxiang of Qin renege on his offer to trade a bunch of cities to Zhao State if they would only bring him this priceless Jade Bi Ornament. Ifr you recall Lin Xiangru had to head to Qin to bring the whole jade back to Zhao. If something has immense and immeasurable value, today's Saying is perfect to use: Jiàzhí Liánchéng 价值连城.
Don't forget, the Chinese terms from CSP episodes are all listed for you down below.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Jiàzhí Liánchéng | 价值连城 | Something of immense value, worth a bunch of cities |
| Chengyu | 成语 | A Chinese Saying or idiom |
| Lìn Xiāngrú | 蔺相如 | Loyal general and official from the Warring State of Zhao (and star of a number of great chengyu's) |
| King Zhāoxiāng of Qín | 秦昭襄王 | The king of Qin State who reigned 325 to 251 BC |
| King Huìwén of Zhào | 赵惠文王 | King of Zhao State from 298-266 BC |
| Wán Bì Guī Zhào | 完璧归赵 | To return the whole jade Bi back to Zhao State featured in CSP Series 3 Episode 1. Go check it out. |
| Hé Shì Bì | 和氏璧 | The famous Bi named for loyal Zhao citizen Bian He, a.k.a. He Shi |
| Jiàzhí | 价值 | Value of something |
| liánchéng | 连城 | a bunch of cities all right next to one another |
| Liángzhǔ Culture | 良渚文化 | A Neolithic culture in China centered around Hangzhou and Zhejiang province that flourished approximately 3300-2300 BC |
| chūchù | 出处 | the source for a quotation of allusion |
| Hán Fēizǐ | 韩非子 | The Han Feizi is both the name of a famous Legalist text and the name of the man who wote it. He lived 280-233 BC (or thereabouts) |
| Biàn Hé | 卞和 | The name of the farmer who chanced upon the Jade Yupu that was later carved into the He Shi Bi |
| Chǔ | 楚国 | Ancient Chu State centered around Hubei and Hunan |
| Yùpú | 玉璞 | a lump of jade still enveloped in a big rock. |
| Chǔ King Lì | 楚厉王 | King of Chu from 759-741 |
| Chǔ King Wǔ | 楚武王 | King of Chu from 741-690 |
| Chǔ King Wén | 楚文王 | King of Chu from 690-676 |
| Bì | 璧 | a kind of ceremonial jade disc with a hole in the center….one of the most ancient of all Chinese cultural objects |
| Hándān | 邯郸 | A major city in southern Hebei Province that served as the Zhao capital |
| Héběi | 河北 | Province in northern China |
| Xiányáng | 咸阳 | Located near modern day Xian in Shaanxi Province, it served as the capital of Qin State |
| Hàn | 汉朝 | The Han Dynasty 202 BC to 220 AD |
| Wèi | 魏国 (曹魏) | One of the Three Kingdoms that ran 220-265 |
| Jìn | 晋朝 | Dynasty than ran 266-420 |
| Suí | 隋朝 | Dynasty that ran 581-618 |
| Táng | 唐朝 | Dynasty that ran 618-907 |
