The Tang poet Chang Jian heard that Zhao Gu, a more celebrated poet, was visiting Suzhou. He knew Zhao Gu would visit Lingyan Temple. So Chang Jian went first and wrote two mediocre lines on the temple wall.
When Zhao Gu arrived and saw the incomplete poem, he could not resist. He added two brilliant lines, completing the verse. Chang Jian's inferior lines had drawn out Zhao Gu's finest work — a brick thrown to attract jade.
唐代诗人常建听说赵嘏将到苏州，料他必去游灵岩寺，便先在寺前墙上写了两句诗。赵嘏看到后，果然续了两句，成为一首完整的佳作。常建用自己较差的诗句引出了赵嘏的好诗，时人谓之「抛砖引玉」。
唐代诗人常建听说赵嘏将到苏州，料他必去游灵岩寺，便先在寺前墙上写了两句诗。赵嘏看到后，果然续了两句，成为一首完整的佳作。常建用自己较差的诗句引出了赵嘏的好诗，时人谓之「抛砖引玉」。
Reflection & Analysis · 寓意解读
Core Wisdom
Sometimes the best way to get brilliance from others is to offer something imperfect — giving them the space and the motivation to do better.
The phrase "抛砖引玉" (throwing a brick to attract jade) became an idiom for using a modest offering to provoke a greater response. Chang Jian's humility was strategic: he knew his own limits and used them as a launchpad for another's genius.
In modern practice, this applies to brainstorming, teaching, and negotiation. Offering a rough draft invites improvement. Asking a naive question provokes deeper thinking. The brick is not worthless — it is the catalyst.