衮衮诸公 gǔn gǔn zhū gōng High-ranking officials (who do nothing)

Explanation

“衮衮诸公”指那些身居高位却无所作为的官员。衮衮：形容众多连续不断的样子。

“Gǔn gǔn zhū gōng” refers to those high-ranking officials who do nothing. Gǔn gǔn: describes a large and continuous number.

Origin Story

话说大明朝，朝堂之上，衮衮诸公，个个衣着华丽，却鲜有为国为民者。首辅大人张阁老，每日只顾吟诗作赋，养花弄鸟，国事全然不管；户部尚书李大人，贪财好色，中饱私囊，国库空虚；兵部尚书王大人，只会拍马屁，逢迎皇帝，边防却日渐松懈。百姓们赋税沉重，民不聊生，而这些衮衮诸公，却依旧过着纸醉金迷的生活，好不快活。一日，皇帝微服私访，亲眼目睹了百姓的疾苦，这才明白，朝堂之上，那些衮衮诸公，早已忘记了为国为民的誓言，他们只顾着自己荣华富贵，全然不顾百姓死活。皇帝龙颜大怒，下旨彻查，将一批贪官污吏绳之以法，一时间，朝堂震动，那些衮衮诸公这才意识到，他们曾经的所作所为，早已激起了民愤，终将自食恶果。

huà shuō dà míng cháo, cháotáng zhī shàng, gǔn gǔn zhū gōng, gè gè yīzhuō huá lì, què xiān yǒu wèi guó wèi mín zhě. shǒufǔ dà rén zhāng gé lǎo, měi rì zhǐ gù yín shī zuò fù, yǎng huā nòng niǎo, guós hì quánrán bù guǎn; hù bù shàng shū lǐ dà rén, tān cái hǎo sè, zhōng bǎo sī náng, guókù kōng xū; bīng bù shàng shū wáng dà rén, zhǐ huì pāi mǎ pì, féng yíng huángdì, biānfáng què rì jiàn sōng xiè. bǎixìng men fùshuì chén zhòng, mín bù liáo shēng, ér zhèxiē gǔn gǔn zhū gōng, què yījiù guò zhe zhǐ zuì jīn mí de shēnghuó, hǎo bù kuài huó. yī rì, huángdì wēi fú sī fǎng, qīn yǎn mù dǔ le bǎixìng de jí kǔ, zhè cái míngbái, cháotáng zhī shàng, nàxiē gǔn gǔn zhū gōng, zǎo yǐ wàngjì le wèi guó wèi mín de shìyán, tāmen zhǐ gù zhe zìjǐ róng huá fù guì, quánrán bù gù bǎixìng sǐ huó. huángdì lóng yán dà nù, xià zhǐ chè chá, jiāng yī pī tān guān wū lì shéng zhī yǐ fǎ, yī shíjiān, cháotáng zhèndòng, nàxiē gǔn gǔn zhū gōng zhè cái yìshí dào, tāmen céngjīng de suǒ zuò suǒ wéi, zǎo yǐ jī qǐ le mín fèn, zhōng jiāng zì shí è guǒ.

In the Ming Dynasty, the court was filled with many high-ranking officials who, while dressed in finery, did little for the country and the people. The chief minister, Mr. Zhang, spent his days composing poems and painting, neglecting state affairs; the Minister of Finance, Mr. Li, was greedy and extravagant, the treasury was empty; the Minister of War, Mr. Wang, could only flatter and please the emperor, while the national defense was increasingly lax. The peasants suffered from heavy taxes and poverty, while the high-ranking officials lived a life of luxury. One day, the emperor made an incognito visit and witnessed the suffering of the people firsthand. He realized that the high-ranking officials had forgotten their oaths to serve the country and the people, and they only cared about their own wealth and glory, completely ignoring the lives of the people. The emperor was furious and ordered a thorough investigation, bringing a group of corrupt officials to justice. For a time, the court was in turmoil, and these high-ranking officials realized that their actions had already aroused public anger, and they would eventually reap the consequences.

Usage

用于形容那些位高权重却无所作为的官员。

yòng yú xíngróng nàxiē wèi gāo quán zhòng què wú suǒ zuòwéi de guānyuán

Used to describe officials who hold high positions but do nothing.

Examples

• 那些衮衮诸公，只顾享乐，不理朝政。

  nàxiē gǔn gǔn zhū gōng, zhǐ gù xiǎnglè, bù lǐ cháozhèng

  Those high-ranking officials only cared about their own enjoyment and ignored state affairs.

• 衮衮诸公尸位素餐，百姓苦不堪言。

  gǔn gǔn zhū gōng shī wèi sù cān, bǎixìng kǔ bù kān yán

  The high-ranking officials were only placeholders and received their salaries without work; the people suffered greatly because of this..

Related Idioms

• 达官贵人

• 高官显贵

Opposite Idioms

• 黎民百姓

• 平民百姓

• 芸芸众生