Zhi Daolin, whose given name was Dun, was a Buddhist scholar of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, originally surnamed Guan and a native of Chenliu (south of present-day Kaifeng, Henan). He frequently socialized with luminaries like Xie An and Wang Xizhi, delighted in discussing metaphysical principles, and was deeply versed in *Zhuangzi*.
*Zhuangzi*, a philosophical masterpiece by Zhuang Zhou during the Warring States period, was partially annotated by Xiang Xiu of the Jin Dynasty, who died before finishing the work. Guo Xiang took over and completed the commentary, and later scholars all cited their notes. The first chapter, "Free and Easy Wandering," was notoriously difficult, and many renowned scholars of the time delved into its meaning, yet none could surpass the insights of Guo Xiang and Xiang Xiu.
Once at Luoyang's White Horse Temple, the monk Zhi Daolin was chatting with General Feng Huai, the Imperial Guardian, when the conversation turned to the "Wandering in Absolute Freedom" chapter of *Zhuangzi*. Zhi Daolin suddenly expounded a novel interpretation, far surpassing the standard commentaries by Guo Xiang and Xiang Xiu. His insights were so profound that they resolved puzzles which many renowned scholars had long struggled to crack. From then on, scholars adopted Zhi Daolin's perspective as the definitive reading of the text.
The idiom "Biao Xin Li Yi" originally meant to create new ideas and establish unique theories. Later, it often referred to proposing novel propositions or creating novel styles. Sometimes it carries a derogatory connotation, meaning to do things differently.
Source: *A New Account of the Tales of the World*, Chapter "Literature"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "标新立异" came to describe proposing novel propositions or creating novel styles.