改换家门 gǎi huàn jiā mén Change the family's status

Explanation

指改变家庭的社会地位，多指由低微走向显贵。

Refers to changing a family's social status, often from humble beginnings to prominence.

Origin Story

话说大明朝嘉靖年间，江南水乡有一户人家，祖祖辈辈都是老实巴交的农民，生活清贫。家中长子李大器，自幼聪明好学，寒窗苦读十年，最终金榜题名，高中状元。李大器高中状元的消息传回老家，乡亲们无不欢欣鼓舞，纷纷前来道贺。李大器的父母更是喜极而泣，他们辛勤劳作一辈子，没想到儿子能够改变家门，飞黄腾达。从此，李家摆脱了贫困，走向了富裕，家族地位也得到了提升，成为了当地有名望的仕宦之家。李大器不忘初心，勤政爱民，为百姓做了许多好事，赢得了百姓的爱戴。他将自己的成功归功于父母的辛勤教诲和自身的努力，时刻提醒自己要保持谦逊，不忘本，做一个清正廉洁的好官。他的一生，是改换家门，光宗耀祖的经典范例。

huàshuō dà míng cháo jiā jìng nián jiān, jiāng nán shuǐ xiāng yǒu yī hù rén jiā, zǔ zǔ bèi bèi dōu shì lǎo shí bā jiāo de nóng mín, shēnghuó qīngpín. jiā zhōng cháng zǐ lǐ dà qì, zì yòu cōngmíng hào xué, hán chuāng kǔ dú shí nián, zuìzhōng jīn bǎng tí míng, gāo zhōng zhuàng yuán. lǐ dà qì gāo zhōng zhuàng yuán de xiāoxī chuán huí lǎo jiā, xiāng qīn men wú bù huānxīn gǔwǔ, fēn fēn qǐng lái dào hè. lǐ dà qì de fùmǔ gèng shì xǐ jí ér qì, tāmen xīnqín láo zuò yībèizi, méi xiǎng dào érzi nénggòu gǎibiàn jiā mén, fēi huáng téng dá. cóng cǐ, lǐ jiā bǎi tuō le pínkùn, zǒuxiàngle fùyù, jiāzú dìwèi yě dédàole tíshēng, chéngwéile dāng dì yǒu míngwàng de shì huàn zhī jiā. lǐ dà qì bù wàng chūxīn, qín zhèng ài mín, wèi bǎixìng zuò le xǔduō hǎo shì, yíngdéle bǎixìng de àidài. tā jiāng zìjǐ de chénggōng guī gōng yú fùmǔ de xīnqín jiàohuì hé zìshēn de nǔlì, shí kè tíxǐng zìjǐ yào bǎochí qiānxùn, bù wàng běn, zuò yīgè qīng zhèng liánjié de hǎo guān. tā de yīshēng, shì gǎi huàn jiā mén, guāng zōng yàozǔ de jīngdiǎn fànlì.

In the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, there lived in the Jiangnan water towns a family who had been honest and simple farmers for generations, living in poverty. Their eldest son, Li Daqi, was intelligent and studious from a young age. After ten years of hard study, he finally passed the imperial examination and became the top scholar. The news of Li Daqi's success reached his hometown, bringing great joy to the villagers. Li Daqi's parents wept with happiness. After a lifetime of toil, they had not expected their son to change their family's fortune, to rise to such heights. From that day on, the Li family escaped poverty and became wealthy, their social status elevated to that of prominent officials. Li Daqi remained true to his values and governed with diligence and love for the people, earning their affection. He attributed his success to his parents' diligence and his own effort, never forgetting humility and his roots, always working to be an upright and incorruptible official. His life serves as a testament to the concept of changing the family's fortunes and bringing honor to the ancestors.

Usage

多用于书面语，形容通过努力改变家庭的社会地位。

duō yòng yú shū miàn yǔ, xíngróng tōngguò nǔlì gǎibiàn jiātíng de shèhuì dìwèi

Mostly used in written language, it describes improving the family's social status through hard work.

Examples

• 寒门学子通过自身的努力考取功名，从此改变了家门的地位，光宗耀祖。

  hánmén xuézǐ tōngguò zìshēn de nǔlì kǎoqǔ gōngmíng, cóngcǐ gǎibiànle jiā mén de dìwèi, guāngzōng yàozǔ

  A poor student, through his own efforts, passed the imperial examination and thus changed his family's status, bringing honor to his ancestors.

• 他凭借卓越的才能和勤奋的工作，最终改变了家门，走向了成功。

  tā píngjì zhuóyuè de cáinéng hé qínfèn de gōngzuò, zuìzhōng gǎibiànle jiā mén, zǒuxiàngle chénggōng

  Through outstanding talent and hard work, he eventually changed his family's fortunes and achieved success.

Related Idioms

• 改换门庭

• 光宗耀祖

Opposite Idioms

• 门衰祚薄

• 家道中落