Tang Dynasty, Meng Jiao's "After Passing the Imperial Examination"
Meng Jiao, a Tang Dynasty poet, lived in poverty and failed the imperial examinations many times. It was not until he was forty-six that he finally passed and felt immense joy.
After the results were announced, he rode his horse through the streets of Chang'an and wrote the poem "After Passing the Imperial Examination": "The disgraces of the past are no longer worth mentioning; today I am free and unbound. The spring breeze brings pride to my horse's gallop; in one day I see all the flowers of Chang'an."
The phrase "spring breeze of pride" (chun feng de yi) expressed his joy and satisfaction. It has since been used to describe the high spirits of someone who has achieved success.
