鬼斧神工

Pronunciation: guǐ fǔ shén gōng Literal meaning: Ghostly axe, divine work

Origin & Usage

The Zhuangzi tells of the woodworker Qing, whose bell-stand was so fine that people said no human hand had made it. Asked his secret, he described fasting: after three days he no longer thought about reward or rank, after five about praise or blame, after seven he had forgotten he had a body and a court to serve. Only then did he go into the forest, look at the trees as they were, and see the finished stand standing in one of them; then he set his hand to it. Ghost (鬼) axe (斧) and spirit (神) work (工) is what the onlookers concluded. Craftsmanship, and natural formations that look designed.

Examples

English: "The artist's work was so exquisite that it seemed crafted by supernatural hands."

Chinese: 这位艺术家的作品鬼斧神工，令人叹为观止。