轻车减从 qīng chē jiǎn cóng light carriage, reduced following

Explanation

形容官员出行时，不带许多随从，简单的意思。

Describes officials traveling without many attendants, in a simple sense.

Origin Story

话说唐朝贞观年间，大唐盛世，国泰民安。朝廷上下，一片欣欣向荣的景象。一日，唐太宗李世民微服私访，准备前往民间视察民情，了解百姓疾苦。他并没有大张旗鼓地出行，而是选择轻车简从，只带了几个贴身侍卫和少量的随从。他们一行人打扮朴素，骑着普通的马匹，沿途并没有惊动任何人。李世民一路走走停停，与百姓同吃同住，亲身体验了百姓的日常生活。他发现，百姓们虽然生活简朴，但是他们却都热情好客，勤劳善良。许多百姓向他反映了一些地方官吏的贪污腐败，以及一些不公平的现象。李世民一一认真记录下来，并暗中记下了这些人的名字。回宫之后，李世民便下令彻查这些地方官吏，将他们绳之以法，同时还颁布了一些新的政策，以改善百姓的生活。百姓们听说后，都纷纷称赞李世民为明君圣主。从此，轻车简从便成为了一个成语，用来比喻官员出行时不带许多随从，简朴的意思。

huà shuō táng cháo zhēnguān nián jiān, dà táng shèngshì, guó tài mín ān. cháoting shàngxià, yīpiàn xīnxīn xiàngróng de jǐngxiàng. yī rì, táng tài zōng lǐ shìmín wēifú sī fǎng, zhǔnbèi qiánwǎng mínjiān shìchá mínqíng, liǎojiě bǎixìng jíkǔ. tā bìng méiyǒu dà zhāng qí gǔ de chūxíng, érshì xuǎnzé qīng chē jiǎn cóng, zhǐ dài le jǐ gè tiēshēn shìwèi hé shǎoliàng de suícóng. tāmen yīxíng rén dǎbàn pǔsù, qízhe pǔtōng de mǎpǐ, yántú bìng méiyǒu jīngdòng rènhé rén. lǐ shìmín yīlù zǒu zǒu tíng tíng, yǔ bǎixìng tóng chī tóng zhù, qīntǐ tǐyàn le bǎixìng de rìcháng shēnghuó. tā fāxiàn, bǎixìng men suīrán shēnghuó jiǎnpǔ, dànshì tāmen què dōu rèqíng hàokè, qínláo shànliáng. xǔduō bǎixìng xiàng tā fǎnyìng le yīxiē dìfāng guānlì de tānwū fǔbài, yǐjí yīxiē bù gōngpíng de xiànxiàng. lǐ shìmín yīyī rènzhēn jìlù xiàlái, bìng àn zhōng jì xià le zhèxiē rén de míngzì. huí gōng zhīhòu, lǐ shìmín biàn xiàlìng chèchá zhèxiē dìfāng guānlì, jiāng tāmen shéng zhī yǐ fǎ, tóngshí hái bānbù le yīxiē xīn de zhèngcè, yǐ gǎishàn bǎixìng de shēnghuó. bǎixìng men tīngshuō hòu, dōu fēnfēn chēngzàn lǐ shìmín wèi míngjūn shèng zhǔ. cóngcǐ, qīng chē jiǎn cóng biàn chéng le yīgè chéngyǔ, yòng lái bǐyù guānyuán chūxíng shí bù dài xǔduō suícóng, jiǎnpǔ de yìsi.

During the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), the country was prosperous and peaceful. One day, Taizong decided to travel incognito to check on the living conditions of his subjects. He forwent a large escort and travelled with only a few close aides and guards. He travelled through the land and spoke with many people, learning about corruption and injustice. Upon his return, he ordered a strict investigation into the officials and issued new laws to improve the living conditions of the population. From that point on, the idiom "qing che jian cong" was used to describe officials traveling without a large entourage and simply.

Usage

常用作谓语、定语；指官员出行时，不带许多随从，简朴的意思。

cháng yòng zuò wèi yǔ, dìng yǔ; zhǐ guānyuán chūxíng shí, bù dài xǔduō suícóng, jiǎnpǔ de yìsi

Commonly used as a predicate or attributive; describes officials traveling without many attendants, simply.

Examples

• 他出行总是轻车简从，不带任何随从。

  tā chūxíng zǒngshì qīng chē jiǎn cóng, bù dài rènhé suícóng

  He always travels lightly, without any attendants.

• 这次考察，我们决定轻车简从，只带必要的设备和人员。

  zhè cì kǎochá, wǒmen juédìng qīng chē jiǎn cóng, zhǐ dài bìyào de shèbèi hé rényuán

  For this research trip, we've decided to travel light, taking only the necessary equipment and personnel.

Related Idioms

• 轻车简从

• 简朴

Opposite Idioms

• 前呼后拥

• 浩浩荡荡