鸦雀无声

Origin and story

An often-cited poetic antecedent describes a night so quiet that crows and magpies make no sound; moonlight and bright stars create an almost otherworldly scene. The verse is found under Su Shi's name but also in Qin Guan's collection, so its authorship should not be stated as certain. Its wording also differs slightly from the modern idiom. The exact expression is securely attested in later novels: Dream of the Red Chamber uses it for people quietly weeping, while The Travels of Lao Can uses it for an audience becoming completely silent. No literal birds need be present in modern use.