曲高和寡 highbrow
Explanation
比喻高深的文艺作品或言论，只有少数人能欣赏或理解。
It describes a work of art or a statement that is so sophisticated that only a few can appreciate or understand it.
Origin Story
战国时期，楚国著名文学家宋玉创作了许多优秀的诗歌和辞赋，他的作品语言华丽，辞藻精美，意境深远，但却并非人人都能欣赏。楚襄王曾问宋玉，为什么很多人对他有意见，没有多少人附和。宋玉回答说：“就像唱歌一样，在郢都街头唱歌，唱《下里巴人》，很多人跟着唱，但如果唱《阳春白雪》，跟着唱的人就少了，因为曲调越高，能跟着唱的人就越少。”楚襄王听后若有所思。宋玉的故事流传至今，成为“曲高和寡”的典故，也成为了后世文人墨客创作的启示：既要追求艺术的境界，也要考虑作品的受众，才能真正做到雅俗共赏。
During the Warring States period, Song Yu, a famous writer of Chu, created many excellent poems and prose. His works were rich in language and imagery, their meaning profound. However, not everyone could appreciate them. King Xiang of Chu once asked Song Yu why so many people criticized him and so few agreed with him. Song Yu replied, “It's like singing: In the streets of Yingdu, singing “Xia Li” and “Ba Ren”, many people sing along. But if you sing “Yang Chun” and “Bai Xue”, fewer people will sing along, because the higher the tune, the fewer people can sing along.” King Xiang of Chu pondered over this. Song Yu's story became the origin of the idiom “qu Gao he gua”, and it became a lesson for later writers: while pursuing the artistic realm, one must also consider the audience of the work in order to create art that truly appeals to both the refined and the popular.
Usage
用于比喻作品或言论不通俗，难以被大多数人理解。
Used to describe a work or statement that is not popular and is difficult to be understood by most people.
Examples
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他的理论过于超前，曲高和寡，鲜有人能理解。
tā de lílùn guòyú chāoqián, qǔ gāo hè guǎ, xiānrén néng lǐjiě
His theories are too advanced, too highbrow for most people to understand.
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这部电影艺术性很高，但曲高和寡，票房惨淡。
zhè bù diànyǐng yìshù xìng hěn gāo, dàn qǔ gāo hè guǎ, piàofáng cǎndàn
This movie is very artistic, but it's too highbrow for a wide audience, hence the poor box office results.
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他的演讲内容学术性太强，曲高和寡，听众听得云里雾里。
tā de yǎnjiǎng nèiróng xuéshù xìng tài qiáng, qǔ gāo hè guǎ, tīngzhòng tīng de yúnlǐwùlǐ
His speech was too academic and therefore incomprehensible to the audience; only a few could follow him.