"Crossing mountains and ridges" literally means to cross over mountains and ridges, describing long journeys and the hardships of travel. This idiom comes from Wu Cheng'en's Journey to the West from the Ming Dynasty. In the book, Tang Monk and his three disciples travel to the West to fetch Buddhist scriptures, crossing mountains and ridges all the way, experiencing eighty-one tribulations, and finally obtaining the true scriptures. Therefore, this idiom not only refers to the actual act of crossing mountains and ridges, but is more often used as a metaphor for the process of overcoming numerous difficulties and engaging in arduous struggle. In terms of usage scenarios, it can be used to describe real travel, military marches, exploration, and other acts of trekking over mountains and wading through rivers, and it can also be used as a metaphor for overcoming obstacles and continuously moving forward in career, study, and life's journey. In terms of emotional coloring, it carries a positive meaning, emphasizing the spirit of perseverance and courage to press forward, and is often used to praise those who are undaunted by hardships and strive hard. In terms of cultural background, it embodies the Chinese nation's qualities of endurance and hard work and unremitting self-improvement, and is in the same vein as the spirit of fetching scriptures in Journey to the West.
📝 Example
1. To film this documentary, the production crew traveled across mountains and rivers, venturing deep into uninhabited areas, and it took them three months to complete. (In the sentence, it means long-distance travel, overcoming geographical difficulties and obstacles.)
2. The research team overcame one technical difficulty after another, and finally developed a new drug. (In the sentence, it is a metaphor for overcoming numerous difficulties and striving to achieve a goal.)