What do you mean by showing off?

Showing off refers to many kinds of behaviors. For example, the role of military commanders on the stage of ancient drama has a special business called "shelf flowers", which is a kind of "painting faces". One of the key points appreciated by the audience is his kung fu (also known as "posture"), which is a gaudy and unrealistic martial arts action. Apart from the stage, ostentation and extravagance in real life often refers to all people who specialize in formalism but are not pragmatic.

In the ancient history of China, Song Xianggong was the first person who failed to show off and was laughed at by the world. In 642 BC, the incompetent Song Xianggong wanted to be the leader of the governors, but many governors didn't buy his account. Song Xianggong decided to attack Chu, which was much more powerful than Song Guoqiang. He thinks that Song is weak but emphasizes "benevolence and righteousness", so he will win.

So in the war, Song Xianggong talked about "benevolence and righteousness", issued stupid orders such as "a gentleman will not be seriously injured" (not killing injured enemy soldiers), "not catching two hairs" (not catching gray-haired veterans), and even asked soldiers to "fight if they don't cross the line" to show that they are doing "benevolence and righteousness". The result was a fiasco. That kind of ostentation is really harmful.

Jia Sidao, a traitor at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, piled up people who starved to death, buried them with snow and planted plum blossoms to show that the world was at peace. This kind of ostentation and extravagance makes people feel creepy!

Historical origin

The word "showy" comes from an interesting story: in the Yuan Dynasty, a weaver girl named Huang Daopo appeared in Wunijing, Songjiang (now south of chang qiao zhen and north of Huajing Town). She once went to Hainan to learn textile technology from the Li people. After returning to her hometown, she developed innovative tools such as embossing carts and looms, and enthusiastically taught textile technology, turning the poor and backward Songjiang area into a prosperous textile town.

In Wunijing, a scholar named Li failed in the imperial examination, so he came to Zhili, Huzhou and became a private school teacher to make a living. When the local villagers heard that he came from his hometown in Huang Daopo, they asked him for new textile technology. Li Xiu knows nothing about textiles, and he doesn't want to admit that he doesn't. He lied that he was a scholar and didn't make it himself, but he could draw a textile map of Huang Daopo and improve the tools and technology for the villagers.

Li Xiucai took pains to draw drawings. The villagers took the drawings drawn by scholars and invited the carpenters with the best craftsmanship to follow. Soon, a novel loom appeared in front of everyone, but even the smartest loom could not be used, and the loom became a useless ornament. Later, Huang Daopo's new technology and new loom spread to the local area, and people realized that Li Xiucai's loom was just beautiful and not practical at all, so everyone called it a "flower shelf".

From then on, people often use "showy" to describe some superficial, flashy or useless things.

Refer to the above content: Baidu Encyclopedia-Flower Rack