Basic Info
- Chinese Idiom: 拜将封侯 (Bài jiàng fēng hóu)
- Pinyin: bài jiàng fēng hóu
- Literal meaning: “Appointed as a general and enfeoffed as a marquis.”
(拜 = to appoint / confer a title; 将 = general; 封 = to enfeoff / grant a title and territory; 侯 = marquis / noble lord)
Also written as 拜相封侯 (bài xiàng fēng hóu – “appointed as chancellor and enfeoffed as a marquis”).
Figurative Definition
It describes the pinnacle of worldly success – being appointed to the highest military rank and granted noble title, with all the honor, wealth, and status that come with it. It is the traditional image of a commoner rising to the top through talent and achievement.
By extension, it means achieving great distinction and high position – success so complete that it brings fame, power, and noble rank. It is used to praise someone who has truly “made it” in life or career.
In short: to reach the highest honors – a general’s command and a noble’s title.
Cultural & Historical Origin
This idiom comes from the Yuan Dynasty play An Du Chencang (《暗度陈仓》 – “Secretly Crossing at Chencang”), Act 1, by an anonymous author:
“我也曾陋巷淹留，贫寒常受，红尘久，今日个拜将封侯，才得个功名成就。”
“I once lingered in a humble alley, often enduring poverty and cold, long tossed about in the dust of the world – today I am appointed general and enfeoffed as marquis, and only now have I achieved fame and success.”
The speaker recounts a journey from poverty to the highest honor: once poor and unknown, now a general and a noble. The idiom captures the traditional Chinese dream of upward mobility – that talent, effort, and opportunity can lift a person from obscurity to the highest ranks.
The play is about Han Xin (韩信), one of the most famous examples of this arc: a poor, unrecognized young man who was mocked and humiliated, yet eventually became Commander-in-Chief of the Han armies under Liu Bang – the classic “拜将封侯” story.
The historical context matters: in imperial China, military rank and noble title were the ultimate markers of success – especially for someone not born into aristocracy. “拜将封侯” represented the summit of a man’s career, combining power (将) and nobility (侯).
Key Lesson
Success is sweetest when it is earned. The idiom honors the journey from hardship to honor – the person who endured poverty and obscurity, then rose to the top through ability and perseverance. It is a message of hope and merit: background does not determine destiny. But it also carries a quiet reminder: titles and ranks are external markers – the true achievement is the character and skill that earned them. Do not chase the title for its own sake; earn the substance first.
Cultural Note
In modern Chinese, “拜将封侯” is a literary, historical, and often aspirational idiom. It appears in:
- Historical drama and fiction – describing a hero’s rise to greatness.
- Praise for career success – though usually in a traditional or metaphorical sense: “他如今拜将封侯，功成名就。” (“He has now reached the highest honors and achieved great success.”)
- Motivational writing – emphasizing that hard work and talent can lead to the top.
- Humorous or dramatic speech – describing someone’s promotion or success in exaggerated classical terms.
Its near-synonym is “功成名遂” (gōng chéng míng suì – “achievement accomplished and fame attained”). The variant “拜相封侯” swaps military command for civil office (chancellor), covering both the military and civil paths to the top.
It reflects the traditional Chinese ideal of “出将入相” (chū jiàng rù xiàng – “to serve as a general abroad and a chancellor at home”) – the complete statesman who excels in both war and governance.
Here is the completion of the Similar English Expressions section for “拜将封侯”, continuing from where it was cut off:
Similar English Expressions
- To make it big – To achieve great success, fame, or wealth.
- To reach the top of the ladder – To attain the highest position in a career or hierarchy.
- To rise to the pinnacle of power – To reach the highest level of authority and status.
- To be showered with honors – To receive many official titles, awards, or distinctions.
- To hit the big time – Informal: to become suddenly and greatly successful.
- To climb to the top – To work one’s way up to the highest rank.
- To attain high office and noble rank – A formal, literal rendering of 拜将封侯.
- To be made a general and a lord – A direct historical equivalent.
The closest and most natural equivalents are “to reach the top of the ladder,” “to be showered with honors,” and “to attain high office and noble rank.”
In short, “拜将封侯” means being appointed general and enfeoffed as a marquis – a grand, traditional Chinese idiom for the pinnacle of worldly success, especially for someone who rises from obscurity through talent and effort, and a reminder that the highest honors are most meaningful when they are earned by real ability and character.
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