谈古说今 tán gǔ shuō jīn Talk about the past and the present

Explanation

指从古代到现代的事情无所不谈，无不评论。形容谈话内容广泛，无所不谈。

Refers to conversations that cover all sorts of topics from the past to the present. Describes a conversation that is comprehensive and versatile.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，一位名叫李白的诗人，以其才华横溢而闻名天下。一日，他与好友高适在长安的一家茶馆相遇。二人相见甚欢，便促膝长谈。高适询问李白近期创作情况，李白便兴致勃勃地谈起了自己游历名山大川的经历，从泰山日出到长江奔腾，从西湖的柔美到塞外的雄浑，滔滔不绝，如数家珍。高适也随之谈及自己戍守边关的见闻，从边塞的严寒到军营的号角，从将士的英勇到百姓的安宁，句句真挚，字字感人。他们二人从诗词歌赋谈到历史典故，从政治时事谈到民生疾苦，谈古说今，无所不谈。茶馆里，客人渐渐散去，只有李白和高适两人还在兴致盎然地谈论着。天色已晚，两人才依依不舍地告别。

huà shuō táng cháo shíqī, yī wèi míng jiào lǐ bái de shī rén, yǐ qí cái huá héng yí ér wénmíng tiānxià. yī rì, tā yǔ hǎoyǒu gāo shì zài cháng'ān de yī jiā chá guǎn xiāng yù. èr rén xiāng jiàn shèn huān, biàn cùxī cháng tán. gāo shì xúnwèn lǐ bái jìnqī chuàngzuò qíngkuàng, lǐ bái biàn xìngzhì bó bó de tán qǐ zìjǐ yóulì míng shān dà chuān de jīnglì, cóng tài shān rì chū dào cháng jiāng bēnténg, cóng xī hú de róuméi dào sài wài de xiónghún, tāotāo bùjué, rú shǔ jiā zhēn. gāo shì yě zhī suí tán jí zìjǐ shù shǒu biānguān de jiànwén, cóng biānsài de yán hán dào jūnyíng de hàogiǎo, cóng jiàngshì de yīngyǒng dào bǎixìng de ānníng, jù jù zhēnzhì, zì zì gǎnrén. tāmen èr rén cóng shī cí gē fù tán dào lìshǐ diǎngù, cóng zhèngzhì shíshi tán dào mínshēng jíkǔ, tán gǔ shuō jīn, wú suǒ bù tán. chá guǎn lǐ, kè rén jiànjiàn sàn qù, zhǐyǒu lǐ bái hé gāo shì liǎng rén hái zài xìngzhì āngrán de tánlùn zhe. tiānsè yǐ wǎn, liǎng rén cái yī yī bù shě de gàobié.

Once upon a time, in the Tang Dynasty, there was a poet named Li Bai who was famous for his extraordinary talent. One day, he met his friend Gao Shi in a teahouse in Chang'an. The two were delighted to see each other and sat down for a long conversation. Gao Shi asked Li Bai about his recent creative works, and Li Bai eagerly talked about his travels to famous mountains and rivers. From the sunrise on Mount Tai to the surging Yangtze River, from the gentle beauty of West Lake to the vastness of the northern regions, he spoke incessantly and knowledgeably. Gao Shi then talked about his experiences guarding the border, from the harsh cold of the border to the bugle calls in the military camp, from the bravery of the soldiers to the peace of the people - every sentence was sincere and touching. They talked about poetry, songs, and historical anecdotes, from political affairs to the suffering of the people. They talked about the past and the present, leaving no topic untouched. In the teahouse, the guests gradually left, only Li Bai and Gao Shi were still enthusiastically discussing. As it got late, they reluctantly said goodbye.

Usage

常用作谓语、宾语；形容谈话内容广泛，无所不谈。

cháng yòng zuò wèiyǔ, bīnyǔ; xiáorong tánhuà nèiróng guǎngfàn, wú suǒ bù tán.

Often used as predicate and object; describes a conversation with a wide range of topics.

Examples

• 两位老人促膝而坐，谈古说今，好不快活。

  liǎng wèi lǎorén cùxī ér zuò, tán gǔ shuō jīn, hǎo bù kuàihúo.

  Two elderly people sat close to each other, chatting about the past and the present, very happy.

• 茶余饭后，他们常聚在一起谈古说今，分享彼此的见闻。

  chá yú fàn hòu, tāmen cháng jù zài yīqǐ tán gǔ shuō jīn, fēnxiǎng bǐcǐ de jiànwén.

  After tea and dinner, they often gathered together to chat about the past and the present, sharing their experiences with each other.

Related Idioms

• 谈今论古

• 高谈阔论

• 海阔天空

Opposite Idioms

• 只言片语

• 闪烁其词