兴高采烈

Origin and story

In the 'Individuality and Style' chapter of The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, Liu Xie relates different writers' styles to their temperaments. He describes Ji Kang, also called Shuye, as outstanding and spirited, and says that his inspiration was elevated and his literary expression brilliant. The words that became this idiom originally assessed the energy and splendor of writing, rather than describing a cheerful crowd. Over time the expression moved from literary criticism into the language of emotion. It now most often describes people who are visibly delighted, enthusiastic, and full of high spirits.