Drawing New Faces

The Chinese idiom 别开生面 (bie2 kai1 sheng1 mian4) literally means draw new faces. It comes from a story about Cao Ba, a painter who lived during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). Cao began studying calligraphy and painting as a child and later became well known for his paintings of people and horses.

In AD 718, Emperor Xuanzong invited Cao to paint at the imperial court. The emperor was so impressed with Cao's work that he declared Cao the official painter of the court. Near the imperial court stood a grand pavillion which was famous for its frescoes depicting the 24 heroes who helped establish the Tang Dynasty. After years of exposure to the elements, the plaster had begun to peel and the colour start to fade. One day, the emperor asked Cao to restore the murals to their former glory.

After many days work, Cao completed the job. The revitalized paintings caused a sensation. Some of the figures were so vivid that some onlookers felt they were about to step out of the wall.

Several years later, the famous Chinese poet, Du Pu, wrote a poem waxing lyrical about Cao's work on the frescoes. One of the verses used the expression 别开生面 (bie2 kai1 sheng1 mian4) to describe how vividly Cao had recreated the faces of the heroes.

Despite being put on a pedestal for his work on the frescoes, Cao later fell from grace after he offended the emperor over a minor matter. Cao was the forced onto the streets and he eeked out a living by painting the portraits of passers-by.

Today the Chinese idiom 别开生面 (bie2 kai1 sheng1 mian4) is used to describe someone who adopts a new style, or as an English speaker might say, someone who breaks new ground.