点金成铁 turn gold into iron
Explanation
比喻把好的东西弄坏，把好事办坏。
It is used to describe the act of ruining something good or making a good thing bad.
Origin Story
宋代大文学家王安石酷爱王籍的《入若邪溪》诗中“蝉噪林逾静，鸟鸣山更幽”两句，在自己的《钟山绝句》中，他将“一鸟不鸣山更幽”代入其中，并向好友黄庭坚夸耀自己的妙笔。黄庭坚却认为王安石这一改动，非但没有提升诗歌意境，反而适得其反，大损诗作神韵，故称之为“点金成铁”。这个故事告诉我们，修改诗词、文章等，应谨慎从事，不要为了追求所谓的“创新”而破坏原有的优秀品质。
Wang Anshi, a great literati of the Song Dynasty, loved the two lines from Wang Ji's poem "Entering the Ruoxie Creek," "Cicadas chirping, the forest is even quieter; birds singing, the mountain is even more secluded." In his own poem, "Ode to Zhongshan Mountain," he substituted "Not a bird chirps, the mountain is even more secluded," and boasted to his friend Huang Tingjian about his clever writing. However, Huang Tingjian believed that Wang Anshi's alteration, not only did not enhance the poetic atmosphere, but on the contrary was counterproductive and greatly damaged the original charm of the poem. Therefore, he called it "turning gold into iron." This story tells us that we should be cautious when modifying poems and articles, not to destroy the existing good qualities in pursuit of so-called "innovation.".
Usage
用于比喻把好的东西弄坏，把好事办坏。
It is used to describe the act of ruining something good or making a good thing bad.
Examples
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这篇论文论证严谨，但结论仓促，有点点金成铁的意思。
zhè piān lùnwén lùnzèng yánjǐn, dàn jiélún cāngcù, yǒu diǎn jīn chéng tiě de yìsi
This paper is rigorously argued, but the conclusion is hasty, with a sense of turning gold into iron.
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他本想做好事，结果却点金成铁，适得其反。
tā běn xiǎng zuò hǎoshì, jiéguǒ què diǎn jīn chéng tiě, shìdéfǎn
He wanted to do good, but ended up turning gold into iron, and the result was counterproductive..