This Chinese proverb comes from a tale in the Tang Dynasty. It is all about 'A gift of Sincere Wishes'. A man called Mian Bogao offering the emporer some goose feathers as a gift. The full story is below to give an explaination of why this proverb has such a strong meaning in Chinese culture. you may also be interested in the Chinese practise of giving gifts.



Gift-giving is an important part of Chinese tradition and culture. Whatever the various forms of gift-wrapping, such as boxes, trays, envelopes, etc. However, there is also a traditional custom to attach a feather with or on the gift. This defines the gift as Qian-li-song-er-mao, literally, a swan feather from a thousand miles: meaning a gift which may be small but, carries with it the sincere wishes of the sender.

During the Tang dynasty (唐朝 táng cháo), 618-906 A.D., there was a local official who gave orders to one of his attendants to take a swan to the Emperor as a gift. The attendant, saw that the swan needed to be cleaned. On the way he took the swan to the river’s edge and took it out of the cage to give it a bath when the swan escaped and flew away, leaving only a feather behind.

The servant knew he needed to accomplish his assigned task. Not knowing what else he could do, presented the feather with a slip of paper bearing a poem, reading:

千里送鵝毛 (qiān lǐ sòng ér máo) A swan’s feather from a thousand miles away
禮輕情意重 (lǐ qīng qíng yì zhòng) An insignificant gift, with it the sincere wishes of the sender.

The emperor was impressed by Mian's sincerity and proclaimed himself satisfied with the present. This incident is remembered in the saying qiān lĭ sòng ér máo, meaning, “to walk a thousand li and present a feather as a gift.” Li is a measure of distance, which is equal to about half a kilometer. Qiān lĭ, or a thousand li, is an expression that means “really far.” Sòng is the verb meaning “to give,” and máo means feather.

Therefore, the feather became the symbol for this expression which may be attached to a gift bearing the reminder of a thoughtful gift. Qiān lĭ sòng ér máo, it's the thought, not the gift, that truly matters.
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