【Explanation】: "Ruò" means "as if"; "xuán hé" means "a suspended river" or cascading torrent. This idiom describes someone who speaks incessantly, like a waterfall endlessly pouring down. It is used to depict a person who is eloquent and persuasive, speaking without end.
【Source】:
From the Southern Dynasties·Liu Song Dynasty·Liu Yiqing's *Shi Shuo Xin Yu·Appreciation and Praise* (A New Account of Tales of the World): "Guo Zixuan’s speech flows like a cascading river, pouring forth without end." Tang Dynasty poet Han Yu's poem "Stone Drum Song": "How could I present such arguments? I wish for a debating mouth as fluent as a hanging river."
【Related Story】
During the Jin Dynasty, there was a renowned scholar named Guo Xiang, styled Zixuan. Even in his youth, Guo Xiang was exceptionally learned. Particularly, he paid close attention to everyday phenomena, carefully observing them and then calmly reflecting on their underlying principles. As a result, he possessed vast knowledge and often offered unique insights into various matters. Later, he devoted himself to studying the philosophies of Laozi and Zhuangzi, achieving a profound understanding of their teachings. After several years, the imperial court repeatedly sent messengers inviting him to serve as an official. Unable to decline any longer, he reluctantly accepted and became a Huangmen Shilang (Imperial Attendant). Upon arriving in the capital, because of his extensive knowledge, he could speak insightfully and logically about any subject. Combined with his excellent eloquence and passion for expressing his opinions, people found listening to him utterly captivating and enjoyable. At that time, there was a high-ranking official named Wang Yan, the Grand Commandant, who greatly admired Guo Xiang’s eloquence. He often praised Guo Xiang before others, saying: "Listening to Guo Xiang speak is like watching a river suspended upside-down, pouring down ceaselessly, never running dry." Guo Xiang’s extraordinary debating skill is evident from this remark. Later generations thus use the phrase "kǒu ruò xuán hé" to describe someone who is skilled in speech—once they begin talking, words flow like an inverted river, articulate and unending, never stopping.
【Story Two】
Idiom Meaning: Also known as "suspended river gushing water," where "suspended river" refers to a waterfall. It metaphorically describes someone whose speech flows like a roaring waterfall—fluent, powerful, and unrestrained—depicting a person who is highly articulate, persuasive, and talkative.
Idiom Source: *Book of Jin·Biography of Guo Xiang*: "Wang Yan often said: 'Listening to Guo Xiang speak is like a river cascading down, pouring forth without exhaustion.'"
During the Wei and Jin periods, dynasties changed rapidly and society was unstable. In the intellectual sphere, Confucianism, which had long dominated, gradually lost its appeal. A group of intellectual elites led by He Yan and Wang Bi began philosophical reflections on the universe, society, and life from a new perspective, seeking to rediscover spiritual meaning.
They refused official posts, rejected worldly affairs, and often gathered in bamboo groves and countryside areas. Centered around three profound texts—the *I Ching* (Book of Changes), *Laozi*, and *Zhuangzi*—they engaged in free-flowing discussions on metaphysical topics such as being vs. non-being, life and death, movement and stillness, ritual norms versus nature, and whether sages have emotions. These gatherings were known at the time as "Qingtan" (pure conversation) or "Xuantan" (mystical discourse). Thus, a new cultural movement—Xuanxue (Mystical Learning or Neo-Daoism)—emerged in Luoyang.
During the Western Jin Dynasty, another great master of Xuanxue appeared in Luoyang: Guo Xiang. Born around 252 AD, styled Zixuan, he was studious from childhood, always paying close attention to daily phenomena, observing them carefully, and thinking deeply. As he grew older, he immersed himself in the philosophies of Laozi and Zhuangzi. With his vast knowledge, every time he spoke, his insights were original, profound, and subtle, leaving listeners spellbound and entranced.
At the time, there was a high minister in the imperial court named Wang Yan, born into a prestigious family, handsome in appearance, and gifted in talent. He held important positions such as Colonel of the Northern Army, Chief of Staff, Minister of Works, and eventually Grand Commandant, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Wuling. He deeply admired Guo Xiang’s learning and eloquence, frequently praising him publicly: "Listening to Guo Xiang speak is like a river suspended high upon a mountain, gushing down ceaselessly, never drying up."
The core of Guo Xiang’s Xuanxue philosophy was the theory of "the spontaneous transformation of all things" (wàn wù dú huà), asserting that "there is no creator; all things create themselves." This means that changes in all things in the world are determined by their own internal laws, without reliance on external forces. His exploration and research reached the pinnacle of Wei-Jin Xuanxue thought. His philosophical masterpiece, the *Commentary on the Zhuangzi*, caused an immediate sensation upon publication. The work has been passed down through generations and was regarded throughout China’s feudal society as the definitive commentary on the *Zhuangzi*.
Guo Xiang lived through the entire process of the Western Jin Dynasty, from its founding to its collapse. Although repeatedly invited to take office, he mostly declined, dedicating himself to scholarly study. Later, gaining the trust and recommendation of Sima Yue, Prince of Donghai, he served as the Chief Clerk to the Grand Tutor—a role serving as secretary to the Grand Tutor, who wielded supreme military and political power—responsible for drafting documents, managing archives, and overseeing seals. In this position, he also held considerable authority.