一鸣惊人Once it Cries, the Cry Shocks All

Once it Cries, the Cry Shocks All（成语 一鸣惊人 英文)


King Wei of the State of Qi loved not only to use enigmatic language but also to spend whole evenings drinking. Because of his indulgence, he stopped dealing with state affairs and left them to his ministers. As a result, things went from bad to worse, as most of his officials, big and small, also neglected their trusted duties and led an easy life. This gave other principalities a chance to make inroads into Qi. The state was on the way to falling apart at any moment. No one around the prince, however, dared to remonstrate with him.

There was one man, a certain Chunyu Kun, who ventured to speak to the King. Using careful innuendo, he said,"There is a large bird perching in this court, and for three years it has not taken wing nor uttered a cry. Probably Your Highness can tell what has happened to this bird."

"Well, I know this bird. If it ever flies, it will soar into the sky; and if it ever cries, it will amaze the world," answered the King, knowing what Chunyu Kun was driving at.

After this talk, the King summoned all the seventy-two county magistrates in the state to his presence. Among the group he rewarded one good one and executed one bad one; then he mustered all his troops, who were now greatly encouraged and ready for action. Courageously they went out to repel the invaders. In great alarm, the other principalities returned to Qi all the lands they had seized from it. Qi's power thus remained strong for the next thirty-six years.

_______________remark_____________
(1) This idiomatic expression is used to speak of an obscure person who amazes the world with a single brilliant feat.

一鸣惊人(chinese idioms)

齐威王在位时喜好说谜语，彻夜陶醉于酒宴，不理政事，将国事委托卿大夫。文武百官也荒淫放纵，各国都来侵犯，国家危在旦夕。身边近臣不敢进谏。淳于髡用隐语劝谏说：“国中有大鸟，落在大王庭院里，三年不飞又不叫，大王猜这是什么鸟？”齐威王说：“这只鸟不飞则已，一飞就直冲云霄；不鸣则已，一鸣惊人。”于是就诏令全国七十二县长官来朝奏事，奖赏一人，诛杀一人；又发兵御敌，诸侯十分惊恐，都把侵占的土地归还齐国。齐国的声威竟维持三十六年。

一鸣惊人，比喻平时没有突出的表现,一下子做出惊人的成绩。