面面俱到

Origin and story

Liang Zhangju's Qing collection Ying Lian Cong Hua, volume 3, offers a possible early source in a discussion of temple couplets. He praises a couplet by Cheng Enze for a Wenchang shrine because its references fit the subject closely and cover its different aspects. He calls this 面面俱到, reaching every side.

The setting is literary judgment, not a tale of someone completing a hundred separate tasks. Later usage extends the idea to explanations, arrangements, and dealings with people. It often praises comprehensive attention, though trying to satisfy every concern can also be criticized when it sacrifices depth or principle. The phrase itself stresses coverage rather than flawless results.