eight-legged essay; rigid, empty formalism
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
eight-legged essay (a rigid Ming & Qing imperial exam writing style)
archaicA specific historical examination format, now used primarily as a metaphor.
Míng明
Qīng清
shí时
dài代
de的
kǎo考
shēng生
bì必
xū须
zhǎng掌
wò握
bā八
gǔ股
de的
xiě写
zuò作
。
Examinees in the Ming and Qing dynasties had to master writing the eight-legged essay.
Zhè这
piān篇
bā八
gǔ股
wén文
yán严
gé格
zūn遵
xún循
le了
pò破
tí题
、
chéng承
tí题
、
qǐ起
jiǎng讲
děng等
gé格
shì式
。
This eight-legged essay strictly followed the formats of 'breaking the topic', 'carrying the topic', 'beginning the discussion', etc.
noun
rigid, empty formalism; stereotyped writing
neutralA common modern metaphor criticizing content that is formulaic, devoid of substance, and restricts thought.
Tā他
de的
bào报
gào告
chōng充
mǎn满
le了
guān官
huà话
tào套
huà话
，
jiǎn简
zhí直
shì是
xīn新
bā八
gǔ股
。
His report was full of bureaucratic clichés; it's practically a new form of stereotyped writing.
Wǒ我
men们
yào要
fǎn反
duì对
zhè这
zhǒng种
bā八
gǔ股
shì式
de的
xuān宣
chuán传
。
We must oppose this kind of rigid, formulaic propaganda.
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Zhè这
piān篇
wén文
zhāng章
háo毫
wú无
xīn新
yì意
，
wán完
quán全
shì是
bā八
gǔ股
。
This article has no new ideas at all; it's completely stereotyped.