**[Meaning]**
Describes someone who is deeply focused and fully absorbed in their studies.
**[Source]**
*Book of Han · Biography of Dong Zhongshu*: "In his youth, he studied the *Spring and Autumn Annals*. During Emperor Xiao Jing's reign, he served as a Doctor. He lectured behind a lowered curtain; senior disciples passed on knowledge to junior ones, and some never saw his face. It is said he did not glance at his garden for three years—such was his intense concentration."
**Explanation:**
Dong Zhongshu, a native of Guangchuan, studied the *Spring and Autumn Annals* in his youth and served as a Doctor during Emperor Jing of Han’s reign. He taught from behind a curtain in his room, with senior students instructing newer ones. Some disciples never even saw him in person. Dong Zhongshu did not look at his garden for three years—an illustration of his extraordinary dedication to scholarly pursuit.
**[The Story]**
During the Western Han Dynasty, there lived a renowned thinker, statesman, and educator named Dong Zhongshu, from Guangchuan (present-day Dadongguzhuang Village, Guangchuan Town, Jing County, Hebei Province). He served as a Doctor during the reign of Emperor Jing and taught the *Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals*. In the first year of Emperor Wu’s Yuan Guang era (134 BC), Emperor Wu issued an edict seeking strategies for governing the state. In his famous memorial titled *Recommendation of the Virtuous and Capable*, Dong Zhongshu combined Confucian thought with the social needs of the time, incorporating theories from other schools of thought to create a new ideological system centered on Confucianism. Deeply impressed, Emperor Wu adopted Dong Zhongshu’s systematic proposals—such as "Heavenly感应 (Harmony between Heaven and Humanity)," the doctrine of "Great Unity," and the idea that "all teachings not belonging to the Six Arts or Confucius’s doctrine should be suppressed and not allowed to advance together"—commonly summarized as "abolish the hundred schools and honor Confucianism alone." This established Confucianism as the orthodox ideology in Chinese society, a status it maintained for over two thousand years.
Dong’s philosophy centered on Confucian patriarchal values, blended with theories of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, weaving together divine authority, imperial power, paternal authority, and husbandly authority into a theological system supporting imperial rule.
In his youth, Dong Zhongshu devoted himself to studying the *Spring and Autumn Annals*. He taught behind a curtain in his study, with earlier disciples instructing later ones, and some students never saw him. He reportedly did not look at his garden for three years—a testament to his profound scholarly focus. His every movement, demeanor, and conduct adhered strictly to ritual propriety, and scholars revered him as a teacher.
Dong Zhongshu loved reading from an early age. His study was adjacent to a garden, in a tranquil setting. He lived alone in this study, and throughout the four seasons, he would pick up his books immediately upon waking each morning. Without frequent reminders from servants, he would forget even basic tasks like eating meals or changing clothes. Thus, three years passed in the blink of an eye.
One day, under bright spring sunshine, Dong Zhongshu stepped out of his study. He happened to glance at the apricot tree planted beside the study and was so startled that he took three steps backward. He exclaimed to his servant, "I remember this apricot tree was just planted recently—how has it already blossomed and borne fruit?"
The servant replied, "Master, this apricot tree has actually been planted for over four years. As the saying goes: 'Peaches in three years, apricots in four, pears in five!' This year is precisely when the apricot tree should be fruiting."
Upon hearing this, Dong Zhongshu suddenly remembered: he himself had planted this apricot tree years ago, and for more than three years, he had not even glanced at the garden once.