垂簾聽政

See also: 垂帘听政

Chinese

	to sit behind a curtain	to handle matters of state
trad. (垂簾聽政)	垂簾	聽政
simp. (垂帘听政)	垂帘	听政
Literally: “to handle matters of state behind a curtain”.

Etymology

The idiom arose from a practice in ancient China, by which a royal lady, as an empress or empress dowager, was allowed to preside over the imperial court without actually being seen by her subjects, because women were prohibited from politics. This would usually be done by the mother of a child emperor.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): chuíliántīngzhèng, chuíliántìngzhèng

(Zhuyin): ㄔㄨㄟˊ ㄌㄧㄢˊ ㄊㄧㄥㄓㄥˋ, ㄔㄨㄟˊ ㄌㄧㄢˊ ㄊㄧㄥˋ ㄓㄥˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): seoi⁴ lim⁴ ting³ zing³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, Mainland)⁺
  - Pinyin: chuíliántīngzhèng
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄨㄟˊ ㄌㄧㄢˊ ㄊㄧㄥㄓㄥˋ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chweiliantingjenq
  - IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰu̯eɪ̯³⁵ li̯ɛn³⁵ tʰiŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹/
- (Standard Chinese, Taiwan)⁺
  - Pinyin: chuíliántìngzhèng
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄨㄟˊ ㄌㄧㄢˊ ㄊㄧㄥˋ ㄓㄥˋ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chweiliantinqjenq
  - IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰu̯eɪ̯³⁵ li̯ɛn³⁵ tʰiŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: seoi⁴ lim⁴ ting³ zing³
  - Yale: sèuih lìhm ting jing
  - Cantonese Pinyin: soey⁴ lim⁴ ting³ dzing³
  - Guangdong Romanization: sêu⁴ lim⁴ ting³ jing³
  - IPA ^(key): /sɵy̯²¹ liːm²¹ tʰɪŋ³³ t͡sɪŋ³³/

Idiom

垂簾聽政

(historical) to rule in place of a monarch; to serve as regent
- 皇上龍體違和，正需要靜養。懇請皇太后垂簾聽政，以安天下人心！ [MSC, trad.]
  皇上龙体违和，正需要静养。恳请皇太后垂帘听政，以安天下人心！ [MSC, simp.]
  From: The Firmament of the Pleiades
  Huángshàng lóngtǐ wéihé, zhèng xūyào jìngyǎng. Kěnqǐng huángtàihòu chuíliántīngzhèng, yǐ ān tiānxià rénxīn! [Pinyin]
  His Majesty's imperial body is unwell and now needs rest. We earnestly beg Empress Dowager to rule the empire from behind the curtain, so as to pacify public sentiment throughout this realm under heaven!

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