During the Western Han Dynasty, China's vast territory and immense power were the envy of the world.
During the Han Dynasty, the vast western regions—collectively known as the Western Regions—were home to many small kingdoms established by various ethnic groups. One day, a swift horse was presented to the emperor as a tribute. The emperor, delighted, ordered his imperial advisor to reward the envoy with a set of imperial gifts from the throne. As the envoy prepared to leave, the emperor asked, "How far did this horse travel in a single day?" The envoy replied, "Your Majesty, it covered a thousand li in a single day, racing at breakneck speed." The emperor nodded and remarked, "Truly, a horse that can cover a thousand li in a day is a rare treasure." The envoy then added, "But Your Majesty, such a horse is not just fast; it also has an eye for talent, like a master at spotting exceptional ability." The emperor smiled and said, "Then let us call it 'A Thousand Li a Day'—a name that honors both its speed and its wisdom." And so, the idiom was born, symbolizing remarkable speed and extraordinary talent. Source: *Records of the Grand Historian*, "Biography of the Western Regions"
After Zhang Qian opened the route to the Western Regions, many minority states sent envoys to pay homage at the Han capital. Among them was the Kingdom of Kucha, whose King Jiangbin personally visited the Han capital multiple times. Each time, the Han emperor received him with grand hospitality and ceremonial respect.
Jiang Bin was deeply impressed by the grandeur of the Han palace and its solemn court rituals. During each visit to the capital, he meticulously studied every detail. Upon returning to his kingdom of Qiuci, he built a magnificent palace modeled after the Han imperial palace in Chang'an, complete with inner and outer courts. He established a guard force to patrol and protect the palace, and set up a court system where his subjects would bow to him. He rode in ornate carriages with a grand procession clearing the way, fully emulating the Han ceremonial style.
People from other Western Regions kingdoms found the King of Kucha's behavior insufferable. They criticized him, saying, "You've transplanted Han customs into Kucha—a forced imitation that leaves things neither donkey nor horse, like a mule born from a donkey and a horse."
Later, the idiom "neither donkey nor horse" came to be used to describe something that is neither one thing nor another, resembling nothing at all.
Source: *Book of Han*, "Biography of the Western Regions"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "非驴非马" came to describe how something is neither one thing nor another, resembling nothing at all.