骇人听闻
骇：震惊。意思是使人听了非常吃惊、害怕。这个成语出自清代李汝珍的《镜花缘》第六回：“任听部下逞艳于非时之候，献媚于世主之前，致令时序颠倒，骇人听闻。”
这个成语是有典故的：隋初，有个名叫王劭(Shao)的，曾在北齐、北周做过官。齐、周相继灭亡，进入隋朝后，隋文帝（杨坚）任命他为“著作郎”。隋炀帝（杨广）时，他又连任原职，真可谓官运事通，一帆风顺。
这个官为“著作郎”的王劭，其实并不专心从事“著作”。他虽然也编写过国史和做过其他的一些注释工作，但他却把主要功夫用在邪门歪道方面。他常假托图谶 命符，散布的童谣，谎报神奇的怪异现象，并借此预卜国家将如何如何兴旺、恭维杨家皇帝将永远稳坐江山等等。例如，他报某处获得一只神龟，龟腹有“天下杨 兴”四字；皇后死了，他说皇后原是“妙善菩萨”转生，她死是“返真”，临去时，天上还曾派了仙乐和香花来迎接她。他的这个“著作郎”一直做了将近二十年之 久。
后来的《隋书·王劭传》给他的评论说：“劭以此求媚帝。在‘著作’将二十年，采迂怪不经之语及委巷之言，……或文词鄙野，或不轨不物，骇人视听，大为有识者所嗤鄙……”
“骇人视听”是一句成语，现在一般都作“骇人听闻”或“耸人听闻”，形容事出非常或故意夸大其词，使人听了感到十分骇异。
Appalling
Today we’ll learn the phrase “hai ren ting wen” which literally means “appalling.” It is often used to describe an unusually shocking situation which leaves most people speechless. Now you know what to say. Here is the story behind it.
Over one thousand years ago in the Sui Dynasty of ancient China, there lived a person named Wang Shao. Wang Shao gained his reputation as a learned scholar at a young age when people first remarked his infallible memory for ancient scripts. His extensive knowledge was soon brought to the attention of the Emperor, who immediately granted him an official position in the palace.
However time soon revealed Wang Shao’s true talent to be flattery. Thanks to his official position he knew the Emperor well, and he knew exactly what he liked to hear. Once the Emperor dreamed that he was climbing a very high mountain, struggling desperately to reach the summit, until finally one of his attendants lifted him to the peak. Wang Shao told the Emperor it was a lucky dream: the mountain symbolized the ruler’s solid and majestic crown, while it was no coincidence that his attendant was named after the legendary figure of longevity. So the Emperor was sure to enjoy a solid rule for the rest of his long life. And of course the Emperor was quite pleased with this interpretation.
Wang Shao later abused the Emperor’s faith in mysticism and superstition. Once he told the emperor that a supernatural tortoise had appeared, and carved into its shell were four Chinese characters promising everlasting prosperity to the Sui Dynasty. When the Queen died, he told the Emperor that she was the reincarnation of a Buddhist idol who must resume her divine role in the heavens.
After hearing of Wang Shao’s immoral flattery, the people were appalled. From their speechless disgust comes the idiom hai ren ting wen which is now often used to express a situation that is simply too shocking for words.
(Source:english.cri.cn)
