千里送鹅毛
“千里送鹅毛”的故事发生在唐朝。当时，云南一少数民族的首领为表示对唐王朝的拥戴，派特使缅伯高向太宗贡献天鹅。
路过沔阳河时，好心的缅伯高把天鹅从笼子里放出来，想给它洗个澡。不料，天鹅展翅飞向高空。缅伯高忙伸手去捉，只扯得几根鹅毛。缅伯高急得顿足捶胸，号啕大哭。随从们劝他说：“已经飞走了，哭也没有用，还是想想补救的方法吧。”缅伯高一想，也只能如此了。
到了长安，缅伯高拜见唐太宗，并献上礼物。唐太宗见是一个精致的绸缎小包，便令人打开，一看是几根鹅毛和一首小诗。诗曰：“天鹅贡唐朝，山高路途遥。沔阳 河失宝，倒地哭号啕。上复圣天子，可饶缅伯高。礼轻情意重，千里送鹅毛。”唐太宗莫名其妙，缅伯高随即讲出事情原委。唐太宗连声说：“难能可贵！难能可 贵！千里送鹅毛，礼轻情意重！”
这个故事体现着送礼之人诚信的可贵美德。今天，人们用“千里送鹅毛”比喻送出的礼物单薄，但情意却异常浓厚。
A swan feather sent from one thousand li away
Today, we’ll learn a new phrase which literally means “a swan feather sent from one thousand li away.” In Chinese it reads, “qian li song er mao.” There is an interesting story behind it.
During the Tang Dynasty more than 1,000 years ago, local officials had to pay tribute to the emperor by sending him gifts. Once, a local official sent a man called Mian Bogao to take some swans to the emperor to pay tribute. Mian therefore started his long journey to the capital with swans in cages. As he was passing a lake, he saw that the swans were hot and dirty. He proceeded to open the cages and let the swans loose so they could have a bath in the lake. But the swans didn’t appreciate his kindness. They flew away the minute they were let of their cages. All that was left were a few feathers. The man suddenly became very frightened. What would he say to the emperor? Mian began to cry. All of a sudden, he hit upon an idea. He picked up a feather from the ground and headed for the capital.
The emperor was at court accepting tributes and all the escorts were coming up to present their precious gifts. Then, Mian presented his feather. Everyone at the court was shocked. Mian asked the emperor to give him a chance to explain.
He the began to sing, “I’ve come a thousand li to pay my tribute. But I lost my swans at a lake. Please forgive me, your majesty. My gift is light, but my love and respect for you are true.”
The emperor was pleased and impressed by Mian’s wit. Instead of punishing him, he gave him a big reward.
People then drew the idiom “a swan feather sent from a thousand li away.” Li is a measurement, equaling half a kilometer. The ancient Chinese used the term a thousand li to describe a long distance away.
In Chinese, the idiom reads, “qian li song er mao.” We use it to describe a small gift sent from afar with good-will.
(Source:english.cri.cn)
