During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, a celebrated scholar named Xie An hailed from Yangxia in Chen Commandery (present-day Taikang County, Henan Province). Born into a long line of officials, he was exceptionally bright and studious from childhood, gaining renown in his youth. He once served as a Compiler of the National History at the office of the Minister of Land and Population.
Xie An, a lover of literature who despised the constraints of officialdom, feigned illness to resign from his post and retreated to the Eastern Mountains in Kuaiji (present-day Shangyu, Zhejiang). There, amid the scenic beauty, he often roamed the hills with Wang Xizhi, Xu Xun, and Zhi Dun, composing poetry and abandoning all political affairs.
When Yu Bing, the governor of Yangzhou, heard of Xie An's remarkable talent, he repeatedly sent messengers to recruit him into official service, but Xie An politely declined each time. Only after Yu Bing pressured him relentlessly did Xie An reluctantly accept the post, yet he resigned just over a month later, leaving Yu Bing powerless. Later, Fan Wang, the Minister of Personnel, admired Xie An's reputation and recommended him to the court. Despite several imperial summons urging him to take office, Xie An found one excuse after another to refuse.
By the time Xie An was in his forties, his family had suffered a series of major blows: his elder brother Xie Yi, a high-ranking official, and his cousin Xie Shang both died, while his younger brother Xie Wan was stripped of his rank and reduced to commoner status after a failed military campaign. As a member of the aristocratic class, Xie An could no longer afford to cling to his lofty refusal of officialdom—the political and economic standing of his clan was at stake. So, setting aside his pride, he finally accepted a government post.
Just then, Grand Marshal Huan Wen, a high-ranking official overseeing state affairs and military matters, invited Xie An to serve as his Sima, an officer managing the affairs of the headquarters and participating in military planning. Xie An accepted. At that time, an official named Gao Song said to him:
"Sir, you have repeatedly defied imperial decrees and remained in seclusion on the Eastern Mountain
Xie An, a man of remarkable political and military talent, steadily rose through the ranks after leaving his reclusive life. By the time of Emperor Xiaowu of the Jin Dynasty, he had been appointed Prime Minister. The famous Battle of the Fei River, a decisive victory, was orchestrated under his leadership, with his brother Xie Shi and nephew Xie Xuan commanding the troops.
Later, people referred to Xie An's return to officialdom after his seclusion at East Mountain as "Rising Again from East Mountain," a metaphor for resuming a position or regaining strength after failure, or reclaiming power after losing influence.
Source: *Book of Jin*, "Biography of Xie An"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "东山再起" came to describe how resuming a position or regaining strength after failure, or reclaiming power after losing influence.