明升暗降 míng shēng àn jiàng apparent promotion, hidden demotion

Explanation

表面上看起来升官了，实际上权力却降低了，多指官场中发生的事情。

To appear to be promoted, but in reality have one's power reduced. Often refers to events in officialdom.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，宰相李林甫权倾朝野，为了巩固自己的地位，他经常采用各种手段打压政敌。有一次，他看中了一位正直敢言的大臣，表面上提拔他做了更高的官职，但暗地里却削减了他的实权，让他远离核心决策，只能处理一些无关紧要的琐事。这位大臣虽然官职提升了，但实际上被架空了权力，成为了一个有名无实的傀儡。这便是典型的“明升暗降”。大臣表面风光无限，实则权力旁落，最终郁郁寡欢，离开了官场。从此，“明升暗降”就成为人们用来形容表面上升迁而实际上被削弱权力的一种手段，也用来形容那些被表面现象迷惑的人。

huà shuō táng cháo shí qī, zǎi xiàng lǐ lín fǔ quán qīng zhāo yě, wèi le gòng gù zì jǐ de dì wèi, tā jīng cháng cǎi yòng gè zhǒng shǒu duàn dǎ yā zhèng dí。yǒu yī cì, tā kàn zhòng le yī wèi zhèng zhí gǎn yán de dà chén, biǎo miàn shàng tí bá tā zuò le gèng gāo de guān zhí, dàn àn dì lǐ què xuē jiǎn le tā de shí quán, ràng tā yuǎn lí hé xīn jué cè, zhǐ néng chǔ lǐ yī xiē wú guān jǐn yào de suǒ shì。zhè wèi dà chén suīrán guān zhí tí shēng le, dàn shíjì shang bèi jià kōng le quán lì, chéng le yī gè yǒu míng wú shí de kuí lěi。zhè biàn shì điển xíng de “míng shēng àn jiàng”。dà chén biǎo miàn fēng guāng wú xiàn, shí zé quán lì páng luò, zuì zhōng yù yù guā huān, lí kāi le guān chǎng。cóng cǐ,“míng shēng àn jiàng” jiù chéng wéi rén men yòng lái xíng róng biǎo miàn shàng shēng qiān ér shíjì shang bèi xuē ruò quán lì de yī zhǒng shǒu duàn, yě yòng lái xíng róng nà xiē bèi biǎo miàn xiàn xiàng mó huò de rén。

During the Tang Dynasty, the prime minister Li Linfu held immense power. To consolidate his position, he frequently used various methods to suppress his political rivals. Once, he targeted an upright and outspoken minister. Publicly, he promoted him to a higher office. Secretly, however, he reduced the minister's real power, keeping him away from core decisions and assigning him only insignificant tasks. Although the minister's title was elevated, he was essentially stripped of authority, becoming a figurehead. This is a classic example of "apparent promotion, hidden demotion." The minister, outwardly successful, was actually powerless and eventually left office in frustration. Since then, “apparent promotion, hidden demotion” has described a method of seemingly elevating someone while secretly diminishing their authority, and also describes those who are misled by superficial appearances.

Usage

用于形容表面上看起来升职了，但实际上权力却降低了的情况，常用于官场。

yòng yú xíng róng biǎo miàn shàng kàn qǐlái shēng zhí le, dàn shíjì shang quán lì què jiàng dī le de qíng kuàng, cháng yòng yú guān chǎng。

Used to describe a situation where someone appears to have been promoted but has actually lost power, often used in the context of officialdom.

Examples

• 他这次升迁，其实是明升暗降，权力被大大削弱了。

  tā zhè cì shēng qiān, qíshí shì míng shēng àn jiàng, quán lì bèi dà dà xuē ruò le。

  This promotion was actually a demotion; his power was greatly reduced.

• 表面上看起来风光无限，实际上却是一场明升暗降的戏码。

  biǎo miàn shàng kàn qǐlái fēng guāng wú xiàn, shíjì shang què shì yī chǎng míng shēng àn jiàng de xǐ mǎ。

  On the surface it seems glorious, but in reality it is a farce of apparent promotion and hidden demotion..

Related Idioms

• 官场沉浮

• 明哲保身

Opposite Idioms

• 水涨船高

• 平步青云