Chinese idiom · 成语
一脉相承
Meaning
One vein passed down; unbroken legacy.
Character by character
Origin and story
Literary usageThe expression uses a continuous line of descent as an image for inheritance. In chapter 92 of Li Lüyuan's Qing novel Qilu Deng (歧路燈), a resemblance between members of two branches of a family is explained by their shared lineage. The wording 一脉相承 explicitly connects the separate branches with the same origin.
This is a documented occurrence, not evidence of a single event that first created the phrase. Its figurative reach extends beyond ancestry: teachings, artistic methods, and institutions can continue the same tradition across generations. The point is a recognizable connection of origin and development, not that everything inherited must remain completely unchanged.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
她的设计风格与老师一脉相承，但也加入了自己的想法。
Her design style continues her teacher's tradition, while incorporating ideas of her own.
For a traceable lineage of ideas or practice; continuity can include innovation.