Ji Kang, courtesy name Shuye, was one of the famed "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove" during the Wei-Jin period, known for his elegant demeanor and outstanding literary talent, admired by many in his time.
Ji Kang wrote many poems and essays throughout his life. In his poetry, he repeatedly mentioned the perilous environment: "When birds are gone, the good bow is stored away; when schemes reach their peak, body and mind are in danger. Though fortune and misfortune lie with oneself, the world's paths are full of treacherous peaks." These lines ruthlessly exposed and criticized the reality of his time.
Ji Kang's essays were sharp and focused, filled with critiques of his era and its ritual-bound elites. In his "Discourse on Nourishing Life," he advocated for "purity, tranquility, and few desires," condemning the aristocracy's indulgence in sensual pleasures. He particularly skewered those who craved both longevity and hedonism, writing, "They worry about gaining what they desire, then fear losing it—once fear of loss takes hold, nothing is off limits. How can those in power not be arrogant? How can a full cup not overflow? How can their pursuits not be unscrupulous? How can their gains not be lost?" Ji Kang thus laid bare the obsessive, neurotic mindset of Wei-Jin scholars, torn between gain and loss, life and death. This mastery led Liu Xie, the great Southern Liang critic, to write in *The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons*, "Chapter on Style and Nature": "Ji Kang was a gallant soul, so his spirit soars and his brilliance dazzles."
This means that Ji Kang's character was heroic and chivalrous, so his writings had lofty aspirations and sharp words. However, the idiom "xing gao cai lie" is now rarely used in its original sense; instead, it often describes people being in high spirits and full of enthusiasm, or it depicts a joyful atmosphere.
Source: *The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons* by Liu Xie
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "兴高采烈" came to describe how people are in high spirits and full of enthusiasm, or it depicts a joyful atmosphere.