"Shui Luo Shi Chu" (When the water subsides, the rocks appear) originally meant that when the water level drops, the rocks at the bottom are naturally revealed. Later, it came to mean that the truth of a matter is fully exposed after investigation or the passage of time, similar in meaning to "the truth comes to light." This idiom originates from a famous line in Su Shi's "Ode to the Red Cliff" of the Northern Song Dynasty: "The mountains are high, the moon is small; when the water subsides, the rocks appear." It was originally a realistic description of a winter night scene on the river, but because of its profound artistic conception, later generations extended it into a metaphor for the revelation of truth. In terms of emotional coloring, it usually carries a neutral-to-positive connotation, emphasizing that the truth will eventually surface. It is often used in fields such as justice, investigation, and journalism to express the pursuit of fairness and facts. Its usage scenarios are wide-ranging, such as the solving of a case, the unraveling of a mystery, or the clarification of rumors. In terms of cultural background, it reflects the belief in traditional Chinese culture that "the truth cannot be concealed," and also embodies the philosophy of patiently waiting and letting things come to fruition naturally.
📝 Example
After months of relentless investigation by the police, the truth of this unsolved case finally came to light, and the real culprit was brought to justice.
Under the in-depth follow-up by journalists, the financial fraud of that company was fully exposed, sparking widespread attention.